Which term describes a moon phase in which the Moon is not visible from Earth?

Which term describes a moon phase in which the Moon is not visible from Earth?

• A. Full Moon
• B. Quarter Moon
• C. New Moon
• D. Moon Phase

Answer: (C)

At the start of the lunar cycle, the Moon sits between the Earth and the Sun, so the side that is lit by the Sun faces away from us. That means nothing of the sunlight-facing side is visible from Earth, making the Moon effectively invisible in the sky. This phase is called the New Moon, and it’s why you don’t see the Moon at night during this time. As the Moon continues its orbit, we begin to see more of the illuminated side in the following phases, moving toward crescent, first quarter, and so on. By contrast, a Full Moon appears fully lit because the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, and a Quarter Moon is a half-illuminated phase visible in the evening. “Moon Phase” is a general term for any phase, not a specific one.

At the start of the lunar cycle, the Moon sits between the Earth and the Sun, so the side that is lit by the Sun faces away from us. That means nothing of the sunlight-facing side is visible from Earth, making the Moon effectively invisible in the sky. This phase is called the New Moon, and it’s why you don’t see the Moon at night during this time. As the Moon continues its orbit, we begin to see more of the illuminated side in the following phases, moving toward crescent, first quarter, and so on. By contrast, a Full Moon appears fully lit because the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, and a Quarter Moon is a half-illuminated phase visible in the evening. “Moon Phase” is a general term for any phase, not a specific one.