MAGICAL MIDNIGHT MOON
Some nights our Moon is just a white half-circle in the sky, or even a thin crescent (C shape). But tonight we get a treat: we have a full moon. Why does this happen? The Moon takes about 29 days to go around Earth, and when it’s on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, we see its shiny side. When it’s between us and the Sun, its shiny side is away from us, so we can’t see it. That’s a “new moon.” When the Moon is “next to” Earth, we see half of it lit. What’s really cool is that whatever part of the moon is lit, that’s the fraction of the night we can see it! A full moon is up all night, and a half moon is up for half of it. It’s amazing that that bright ball is a quarter million km away from us. How many pencils would we have to line up to reach the Moon? If they’re the giant pencils, it’s a big number — and if we use regular pencils, it’s even more!
Wee ones: Tonight the Moon looks like a full circle. Can you see other circle shapes in your house?
Little kids: The Moon looked pretty full last night also, and will tomorrow night, too. If today is Tuesday, what day was it yesterday, and what day is tomorrow? Bonus: The new moon will be 15 days from today (Tuesday). What day of the week will that be?
Big kids: How do you write “1 million” all in numbers? Bonus: What is a quarter of 1 million km?
Wee ones: Tonight the Moon looks like a full circle. Can you see other circle shapes in your house?
Little kids: The Moon looked pretty full last night also, and will tomorrow night, too. If today is Tuesday, what day was it yesterday, and what day is tomorrow? Bonus: The new moon will be 15 days from today (Tuesday). What day of the week will that be?
Big kids: How do you write “1 million” all in numbers? Bonus: What is a quarter of 1 million km?
Answers:
Wee ones: Different for everyone…you might find clocks, balls, wheels on toy cars, eyes on stuffed animals. See what else you find!
Little kids: Yesterday was Monday, and tomorrow is Wednesday. Bonus: On a Wednesday. 14 days would is two weeks and would bring us back to today. Then one more day is Wednesday.
Big kids: 1,000,000. Bonus: 250,000 km.
Little kids: Yesterday was Monday, and tomorrow is Wednesday. Bonus: On a Wednesday. 14 days would is two weeks and would bring us back to today. Then one more day is Wednesday.
Big kids: 1,000,000. Bonus: 250,000 km.