Day and night, and the phases of the Moon

Integrated ScienceEarth & SpaceAges 11–12

Viewed from above the North Pole: the Sun lights up half of Earth, Earth's spin creates day and night for the observer (red dot), and the Moon orbits Earth with its lit half always facing the Sun. The panel on the right shows the Moon's shape as seen from Earth — new moon, crescent, quarter, gibbous, full moon — changing day by day. Drag the Moon along its orbit to pick a phase, click Run/Pause, and change the speed.