Moon Phases Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. Why does a lunar eclipse not occur at every full moon?
The Moon’s orbit is tilted, so it usually passes above or below Earth’s shadow.
Earth’s shadow disappears during some parts of the year.
A lunar eclipse requires the Moon to be closer to Earth than usual.
The Moon does not reflect enough sunlight during most full moons.
2. Which arrangement corresponds to a full moon?
The Moon is near the Sun in Earth’s sky.
The Moon is roughly at a right angle from the Sun as viewed from Earth.
The Moon is opposite the Sun in Earth’s sky, with Earth approximately between them.
The Moon is passing through Earth’s shadow.
3. An observer records that the illuminated portion of the Moon visible from Earth becomes smaller each night. Which term describes this change?
Rising
Waning
Gibbous
Waxing
4. Two observers in distant parts of the world look at the Moon at the same moment. What should they generally find?
They see essentially the same phase, although its orientation may look different.
Only the observer nearer the equator can identify the phase.
One sees a waxing phase while the other sees a waning phase.
They see opposite phases because they are in different locations.
5. If the Moon was full about seven days ago, which main phase is it most likely near now?
First quarter
Third quarter
Waxing crescent
New moon
6. Which phase occurs between first quarter and full moon?
Waning gibbous
Waxing gibbous
Waning crescent
New moon
7. Which main phase comes immediately after a new moon?
Waxing crescent
Waning crescent
Waning gibbous
Third quarter
8. A person wants to observe a third-quarter moon. Which time is generally most suitable?
Just after sunset
Around midday
During the late night or morning, especially before dawn
Only during a lunar eclipse
9. Why is a new moon usually difficult to see from Earth?
Earth blocks all sunlight from reaching the Moon.
The Moon stops reflecting sunlight during this phase.
Its illuminated half faces mostly away from Earth, and it appears near the Sun in the sky.
The Moon is always below Earth’s horizon during this phase.
10. Approximately how long does one complete cycle of lunar phases, from one new moon to the next, take?
About 24 hours
About 7 days
About 365 days
About 29.5 days
11. Shortly after sunset, you notice a thin crescent low in the western sky. Over the next few evenings it should appear larger and stay up later. Which phase is it?
Waxing crescent
Waning crescent
Waxing gibbous
Third quarter
12. Over several nights, the visible illuminated fraction grows from less than half to more than half. Which main phase did the Moon pass through during that interval?
Third quarter
First quarter
New moon
Full moon
13. Apart from a lunar eclipse, how much of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun at any given time?
The entire Moon
Only the portion visible from Earth
An amount that changes from none to all during the month
About half of the Moon
14. At approximately what time is a first-quarter moon highest in the sky?
Around midnight
Around sunrise
Around sunset
Around noon
15. What primarily causes the Moon’s phases as seen from Earth?
Clouds in Earth’s atmosphere regularly conceal sections of the Moon.
Earth’s shadow covers different amounts of the Moon during each month.
The Moon produces different amounts of light at different points in its orbit.
We see changing portions of the Moon’s sunlit half as the Moon orbits Earth.
16. You watch the Sun set and see the Moon beginning to rise near the opposite horizon. Which phase is most likely?
First quarter
Waning crescent
New moon
Full moon