Lecture 3 – Motion of the Moon, in the Sky and in Space, Part 1/2
Summary / Checklist of the Main Concepts to Understand and Remember

Phases of the Moon  
red bullet What do we mean by phases of the Moon?  
red bullet What are waxing and waning phases? Which ones are the new, crescent, quarter (half), gibbous and full phases?  
red bullet Why does the Moon go through different phases?  
red bullet Be able to figure out in what part of its orbit the Moon is in each of its phases.  
red bullet Be able to figure out at what time of the day/night we can see the Moon when it is in each of its phases.  
red bullet Approximately how long does it take for the Moon to go through its cycle of phases?  
• What are the lunar (synodic) month and the sidereal month?  
• By how much do synodic and sidereal months differ, and why are they different?  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Topics from the lecture page and textbook not listed above [or between square brackets] were not covered in class;
Underlined words indicate that I will expect students to remember a number or a name related to that topic.

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