I'm seeing that there's traffic coming from Europe. Realizing I use US measurements for everything. I'm working on fixing that right now. Sorry for the oversight.
I still don't understand why there's a new moon when the moon is between the earth and the sun and a full moon when the earth is between the moon and the sun. Maybe if I stare at the model longer it'll magically make sense.
It might make more sense if you consider that the three objects are not usually aligned, due to the tilt of the moon's orbit around the earth. In the case of the full moon, this allows us to see the fully illuminated moon even when we are between it and the sun.
I'm seeing that there's traffic coming from Europe. Realizing I use US measurements for everything. I'm working on fixing that right now. Sorry for the oversight.
I think the measurements are fixed. Let me know if I'm wrong.
I still don't understand why there's a new moon when the moon is between the earth and the sun and a full moon when the earth is between the moon and the sun. Maybe if I stare at the model longer it'll magically make sense.
It might make more sense if you consider that the three objects are not usually aligned, due to the tilt of the moon's orbit around the earth. In the case of the full moon, this allows us to see the fully illuminated moon even when we are between it and the sun.
On the new moon, when the moon is between the earth and the sun, the light reflects back towards the sun, so you don't see it i.e. the moon is dark.
As for the full moon, the earth and sun are on the same side of the moon, so the sun is lighting the moon "from behind you" and you can see that.
The new moon is in the sky when it's daytime. Crescents show at dawn/dusk. Full moon is night only.
hence the eclipse today
Several hundred years ago, these combined would have been considered a major omen.