Why Does the Shape of The Moon Change Periodically?

One night I looked at the sky, He saw the Moon shaped like a smile arch. Two weeks later, when he happened to be staring back at the Moon, the shape was not the same as before, this time the perfectly round glowed very beautifully.

Are you a primary school student? Confused why does the moon shape change every night? You will find the answer here. Happy reading.

Moon Definition

The moon is a celestial body that has a position as a natural satellite of the Earth. The moon has a diameter of 0.25 or a quarter of the diameter of the Earth. It has a mass of one-eighth of the mass of the Earth.

Even though the Moon looks radiant, the Moon doesn't actually have and emits its own light but reflects the light it receives from the sun's rays.

The distance of the Moon which is closed when compared to the distance of the Sun from Earth makes the size of the Moon and the Sun look similar.

Every time the Moon moves it rotates and surrounds the Earth according to its axis.

Moon Revolution and Rotation

From the rotation movement and its revolution, the Moon has an influence on the Earth. Among them:

1. Tides

Understanding of Install itself is a situation where more sea water in an area and appears to spill over. Whereas the definition of ebb is a condition of less sea water and appears to recede or temporarily disappear.

Tides occur because sea water is attracted by the gravity of the Moon. The location of the Moon with the Earth that is closer when compared to the location of the Sun makes the Moon's gravitational force more influential on the tides than the influence of the Sun's gravity.

2. The moon becomes a natural source of light at night

The earth rotates and revolves around the Sun, sometimes its sides are plastered to the Sun, while some others turn their backs on the Sun.

The side that is not facing the sun cannot receive sun exposure, so this part becomes dark or also called night. At night the Earth gets light from the Moon, the Moon reflects light from the sun.

3. The rotation and revolutionary movements of the Moon also result in eclipses, both lunar eclipses, and solar eclipses

When the position of the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun are right, there will be a natural phenomenon called an eclipse.

Named a solar eclipse when the position of the Moon precisely covers the Sun, the shortest solar eclipse takes place only a few minutes, about 3 minutes, with the longest duration of one hour for the solar eclipse ring.

Lunar eclipses occur when the Earth is right in the middle between the Moon and the Sun. The duration of the lunar eclipse can be hours.

4. The moon is a reference in the calendar of the Hijri year

One revolution of the Moon against Earth takes 29 days 12 hours 44 minutes or 29.5 days.

By humans, especially Muslims make the Moon a reference in calculating the Hijriyah (Qomariyah) unit which follows the lunar phase cycle. So that in one month can be 29-30 days.

Moon phase

Finally, what the author will discuss is about the Moon phase. How can every night of the month have different looks? Can the Moon change shape? Or because of other factors?

Moon Revolution Around Earth Planet

Because the Moon seems to change in shape due to the revolution of the Moon against the Earth and the Earth's revolution against the Sun. These two celestial bodies continue to move according to their orbits.

At a moon phase, they face the sun. So that the dark side of the moon is visible on earth. This phase is called the Dead Moon because the moon is not visible because it does not reflect light to Earth.

Moon Light

As the moon moves around the Earth the intensity of the sun's light received and reflected by the Moon also changes.

Little by little, starting from looking like a sickle, a half circle, three quarters, to the moon reflecting sunlight to form a full circle or full moon.

When the full moon phase occurs it is interpreted to have reached the middle of the month or calculated on the 15th.

After the full moon phase, on the following nights, the appearance of the Moon's shape will gradually decrease to half, become a sickle again, until then return to the initial appearance, ie the moon dies. And Month counting enters a new month.

Moon Phase in Al Quran

In Al Quran Surah Al Insyiqaq verse 18 Allah سبحانه و تعالى says:

وَالۡقَمَرِ اِذَا اتَّسَقَۙ ۱۸

Meaning: ‘And with the Moon when it becomes full moon '

This verse shows that the Moon has a form phase, ranging from sickle to full moon (the shape is rounded and the light appears full).

The full moon will look clear and beautiful on a clear and cloudy night. In ancient times, the parable using the full moon symbolized something very beautiful.

The susceptibility of the prophet Muhammad SAW, by the inhabitants of Medina, was likened to being a full moon, this parable was made syiir and read and sounded in diba' until now.

Finally, now you know the mechanism by which the moon can appear to change shape every night.

Continue to be passionate about seeking knowledge and doing good. Hopefully, this article is useful and adds to your knowledge.

Author: Arikah Mayari