Find the full moon
Full moons happen roughly every 28 days! On the next full moon, why not have a go at our moon activity? You can use #Scienceworks on social media to let us know what you find out!
- Step outside at about 6pm and face towards the sunset, in the West.
- Then, turn around so you’re facing East, where the moon rises.
- Watch the moon as it rises, and notice how, when it’s lower in the sky, it looks bigger. That’s because our eyes compare it with the houses and trees nearby, whereas when it’s higher, it’s more difficult to compare to its surroundings.
- Notice what shape the moon is! Is it completely full and round, not quite full, or another shape entirely – perhaps a crescent?
Psst: of course you don’t have to wait for a full moon to observe the moon in all of its glory! Try to spot it at other times. It could up during the day or night. What shape is it? Did you know that every month the moon goes through four stages; First Quarter, Full Moon, Third Quarter and New Moon! Every month there is a perigee, when the moon is closest to Earth, and an apogee, when it is furthest away. To see what and when the next phases of the moon are, read the latest edition of Skynotes!