Moon Phases Animation: Explained Simply

This animation clearly explains the moon phases visually. You can also see the Moon from Earth as it circles in its orbit.

[aleprechaunist]

I'm afraid you've explained it too simply; it'll look great when you finish it. I was so happy to learn this when I tried to explain moon phases to somebody and it was pointed out to me. You've claimed to describe what's called a synodic month (usually represented from new moon to the next new moon), but illustrated a sidereal month, which isn't long enough to get through all the lunar phases. Your video didn't account for the orbit of the earth around the sun. A sidereal month is the time it takes for the moon to complete one rotation around the earth, as measured against the background of the stars (sidereal). One sidereal month is roughly a couple of days less than the time it takes for the moon to go through all of its phases. In the time it takes for the moon to travel once around the earth, the earth has also been orbiting the sun, traveling just over 27 degrees in its orbit. It takes over two more days before the moon, the earth, and the sun line up straight, and complete all lunar phases, in one synodic month, roughly 29.5 days. The video I'm linking to is about 10 years old; I'm sure yours will be much better.

[oghertz]

the moon turn around the earth in 27 days 8 hours, not 29.5 days. you should fix this next time.

[naturesgift]

Where is the sun and how the moon get the sunlight and the shadow...

[wojciechkminikowski]

Jak jest możliwe zobaczyc półpelnie ksieżyca jak jest pomiedzy słońcem a zuemią s jak za ziemią przecież światło słoneczne nie dochodzi przez ziemię a pomiedzy jak widzimy półksieżyc przeciez to ksieżyc zasłania światlo sloneczne nie powinnyśmy widziec nic kłamstwa kłamstwa i kłamstwa