Moon near the Sun
Waning Moon at sunrise comes closer to the Sun.
Look at sunrise
On a full Moon day, the Sun rises in the East. You look for the Moon.
Where is the Moon?
What this lesson covers
The idea
On full Moon day the Moon is nearly opposite the Sun; as it wanes it appears closer to the Sun at sunrise, overhead at sunrise at the half-circle phase, and closest to the Sun at new Moon.
Look at sunrise
On a full Moon day, the Sun rises in the East. You look for the Moon.
Where is the Moon?
- Almost setting in the West
- Right next to the Sun
- Overhead
Moon at sunrise
Open each tab to see the sky at sunrise.
A shifting Moon
At the same time on successive days, the Moon is seen in a different part of the sky. As it wanes, it appears closer to the Sun at sunrise.
At sunrise: full Moon nearly opposite the Sun; half circle (waning) overhead; crescent closer to the Sun; new Moon closest to the Sun.
Notes
The waning Moon at sunrise appears closer to the Sun each day.
Check yourself
On full Moon day, when the Sun rises in the East, the Moon is …
A waning Moon at sunrise is overhead when it is a …
As the Moon wanes, at sunrise it appears …
On new Moon day, the Moon appears …
- almost setting in the West — correct. Yes!
- overhead. That is the half Moon at sunrise.
- next to the Sun. That is closer to the new Moon.
- full circle. A full Moon is nearly opposite the Sun.
- half circle — correct. Yes!
- new Moon. The new Moon is closest to the Sun.
- farther from the Sun. It appears closer to the Sun.
- always at the same place. Its position shifts from day to day.
- closer to the Sun — correct. Yes!
- closest to the Sun — correct. Yes!
- opposite the Sun. That is the full Moon.
- overhead at sunrise. That is the half Moon.