What is the Moon?

• The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite.
• It’s a big ball of rock that goes around the Earth.

1. Appearance of the Moon:
   • The Moon doesn’t make its own light; it shines because of the Sun’s light.
   • The Moon looks white or gray, and it has many craters and mountains.
2. Phases of the Moon:
   • The Moon seems to change shape in the sky. These are called “phases.”
   • There are eight main phases, like the New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Last Quarter.
3. Why Does the Moon Change Shape?
   • The Moon orbits (goes around) the Earth, so we see different parts of it.
   • When we see a full Moon, it’s because the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in a straight line.
4. Gravity on the Moon:
   • The Moon has less gravity than Earth. You would weigh much less on the Moon.
   • That’s why astronauts wear special suits when they go to the Moon.
5. Exploring the Moon:
   • Astronauts have been to the Moon. They traveled there in special spaceships.
   • They collected rocks and studied the Moon’s surface.
6. The Moon’s Importance:
   • The Moon helps create tides in the ocean because of its gravity.
   • It also helps us mark time with the phases for calendars.
7. Fun Facts:
   • The Moon is about 1/6th the size of Earth.
   • It’s about 4.5 billion years old.

Let’s practice!