Latest / Faithfully Explore! / Why the Moon Changes Shape: Every Phase Has Beauty
Transcript
- 0:00Laura: Explorers, I need to tell you something strange.
- 0:05Laura: The moon is a shape-shifter.
- 0:09Laura: One night, it is a tiny silver smile.
- 0:13Laura: Another night, it is a half a cookie.
- 0:17Laura: Another night, it is big, round, and glowing like a giant nightlight.
- 0:23Laura: Then a few nights later, it starts shrinking again.
- 0:27Laura: Which brings us to today's very important mystery.
- 0:32Laura: Is something nibbling it?
- 0:34Laura: Is there a giant space mouse taking bites out of it?
- 0:38Laura: Is the moon playing peekaboo?
- 0:42Laura: I'm Laura, and today in our Faithfully Explore series, Sky Stories: Wonder Written in the Stars, we're exploring why the moon changes shape.
- 0:53Laura: We'll learn the science of moon phases and discover how the moon helps shape Muslim, Jewish, and Chinese calendars.
- 1:02Laura: So grab your imagination telescope, pack a pretend moon snack, and please do not accuse the moon of being dramatic.
- 1:12Laura: The moon is just going through a phase.
- 1:15Laura: Let's faithfully explore.
- 1:17Faithfully Explore! Intro: faithfully Explore!
- 1:19Faithfully Explore! Intro: is the name.
- 1:22Faithfully Explore! Intro: Learning together is our aim.
- 1:26Faithfully Explore! Intro: Beliefs around the globe we'll track, filling up our Belief Backpack.
- 1:33Laura: All right, explorers.
- 1:35Laura: Before we travel through stories and celebrations, let's solve our moon mystery.
- 1:41Laura: Why does the moon change shape?
- 1:45Laura: First, here's a surprise.
- 1:48Laura: The moon is always round.
- 1:52Laura: Yes, always.
- 1:54Laura: Even when it looks like a tiny crescent, even when it looks like a half circle, even when it disappears and you can't see it at all, the moon itself is still a round ball in space.
- 2:12Laura: So why does it look different?
- 2:15Laura: Because of sunlight.
- 2:18Laura: The moon does not make its own light.
- 2:21Laura: It shines because light from the sun reflects off the moon's surface.
- 2:27Laura: The sun always lights up half of the moon, just like the sun lights up half of Earth.
- 2:34Laura: But as the moon travels around the Earth, we see different amounts of its sunlit side.
- 2:41Laura: This is what makes moon phases.
- 2:45Laura: The whole moon phase cycle takes about 29 and a half days.
- 2:50Laura: That's about one month.
- 2:53Laura: The word month even comes from an old word connected to the moon.
- 2:59Laura: Moon, month.
- 3:01Laura: They're cousins.
- 3:05Laura: Now let's meet the moon phases First, we have the new moon.
- 3:12Laura: During the new moon, the moon is between Earth and the sun.
- 3:17Laura: The lit up side is facing away from us, so from Earth, the moon looks dark or almost invisible.
- 3:25Laura: It's still there.
- 3:27Laura: It's just doing a stealth mission.
- 3:30Laura: Then comes the waxing crescent.
- 3:33Laura: Waxing means growing.
- 3:36Laura: Crescent means a curved, skinny shape, like a banana or a smile.
- 3:43Laura: This is when the moon first appears again after the new moon.
- 3:48Laura: Next is the first quarter.
- 3:51Laura: This one can be confusing because it looks like half a moon, but it is called first quarter because the moon is one quarter of the way through its whole cycle.
- 4:04Laura: So it looks half lit, but it is called a quarter.
- 4:09Laura: Then comes the waxing gibbous.
- 4:12Laura: Gibbous means more than half lit, but not full yet.
- 4:18Laura: Let's try saying gibbous.
- 4:20Laura: Gibbous.
- 4:20Laura: Gibbous.
- 4:23Laura: Then comes the full moon.
- 4:25Laura: That's when the whole face of the moon looks bright and round from Earth.
- 4:31Laura: Full moon nights have inspired stories, songs, festivals, and calendars.
- 4:38Laura: After the full moon, the moon starts to look smaller again.
- 4:43Laura: This is called waning.
- 4:46Laura: Waning means shrinking or getting smaller.
- 4:50Laura: So we get waning gibbous, still mostly full, but shrinking.
- 4:57Laura: Third quarter, also called last quarter, another half-looking moon.
- 5:03Laura: Then waning crescent, a tiny silver curve again.
- 5:09Laura: And then we return to new moon.
- 5:11Laura: The cycle begins again.
- 5:15Laura: New moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent, again and again.
- 5:30Laura: Now let's say it together.
- 5:32Laura: New moon,
- 5:34Annie: New moon
- 5:35Laura: waxing crescent,
- 5:37Annie: Waxing crescent
- 5:38Laura: first quarter,
- 5:40Annie: First quarter
- 5:41Laura: Waxing gibbous,
- 5:43Annie: Waxing gibbous
- 5:44Laura: full moon,
- 5:46Annie: Full moon
- 5:47Laura: waning gibbous,
- 5:48Annie: Waning gibbous
- 5:50Laura: third quarter,
- 5:51Annie: Third quarter
- 5:52Laura: waning crescent.
- 5:54Annie: Waning crescent
- 5:55Laura: Wonderful, explorers.
- 6:00Laura: Long before people had phone calendars, they watched the sky.
- 6:05Laura: The moon helped people count days.
- 6:08Laura: A new moon meant a new beginning.
- 6:11Laura: A full moon meant the middle of the month.
- 6:14Laura: The changing moon became a natural clock in the sky.
- 6:20Laura: Let's visit a few traditions where the moon still helps shape important times of the year.
- 6:26Laura: First up, Islam.
- 6:32Laura: In Islam, Muslims follow a lunar calendar called the Hijri calendar or Islamic calendar.
- 6:39Laura: Lunar means moon-based.
- 6:42Laura: Each Islamic month begins with the sighting of the thin crescent moon called the hilal.
- 6:48Laura: That little crescent is very important.
- 6:51Laura: It is like the moon whispering, "A new month has begun."
- 6:56Laura: The month of Ramadan begins when the new crescent moon is sighted after the month of Sha'ban.
- 7:03Laura: Ramadan is a sacred month when many Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, pray, read the Quran, give charity, and focus on gratitude and self-control.
- 7:19Laura: Then when Ramadan ends, Muslims look again for the crescent moon.
- 7:24Laura: The sighting of the new crescent helps mark the beginning of the next month, Shawwal, and the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
- 7:34Laura: Eid al-Fitr is a joyful holiday with prayer, food, family, giving, and celebration after Ramadan.
- 7:44Laura: Now, here's something important.
- 7:46Laura: Not all Muslim communities begin Ramadan or Eid on exactly the same day.
- 7:53Laura: Why?
- 7:54Laura: Because the crescent may be visible in one place and not another.
- 8:01Laura: The moon is in the same sky, but people may see it at different times depending on where they live.
- 8:09Laura: That is a good reminder for Faithfully Explore.
- 8:12Laura: Even within one religion, people may practice in different ways.
- 8:18Laura: Now, let's travel to Judaism.
- 8:25Laura: In Judaism, the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar.
- 8:29Laura: That means it follows the moon for months and also adjusts to stay connected to the seasons of the sun.
- 8:38Laura: Each Jewish month begins with Rosh Chodesh.
- 8:41Laura: Try saying that with me.
- 8:43Laura: Rosh Chodesh.
- 8:45Laura: It means head of the month or beginning of the month.
- 8:50Laura: Rosh Chodesh happens at the start of a new Hebrew month connected with the new moon.
- 8:56Laura: In ancient times, witnesses would watch for the new crescent moon, and the new month would be announced.
- 9:04Laura: Today, the Jewish calendar is calculated, but the moon is still part of the rhythm of Jewish time.
- 9:12Laura: Some Jewish communities also say a special blessing called Kiddush Levana, the sanctification of the moon, during the first part of the lunar cycle when the moon has returned to the night sky.
- 9:28Laura: I love that image.
- 9:30Laura: People stepping outside at night, looking up, and blessing the moon as it grows again.
- 9:37Laura: The moon disappears.
- 9:39Laura: The moon returns.
- 9:41Laura: The month begins.
- 9:43Laura: The people remember.
- 9:45Laura: Many Jewish holidays also appear around certain moon times.
- 9:50Laura: For example, Passover begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan around the full moon.
- 9:58Laura: Sukkot begins on the 15th day of Tishrei, also around the full moon.
- 10:05Laura: That means the full moon can shine over important Jewish celebrations.
- 10:11Laura: The moon teaches rhythm.
- 10:13Laura: Begin, grow, shine, rest, begin again.
- 10:19Laura: Now let's travel to Chinese lunar festivals.
- 10:26Laura: In Chinese culture, many important holidays follow a lunisolar calendar, too.
- 10:32Laura: The Lunar New Year, also called Spring Festival in Chinese culture, begins with a new lunar year.
- 10:41Laura: Families may clean their homes, gather for meals, give red envelopes, enjoy fireworks or lion dances, and welcome a new beginning.
- 10:53Laura: Then on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month comes the Lantern Festival.
- 11:00Laura: This festival marks the first full moon of the new lunar year.
- 11:05Laura: People may carry lanterns, solve riddles, watch performances, and eat sweet rice balls called tangyuan.
- 11:15Laura: Think about that.
- 11:16Laura: The year begins in darkness and newness, and about fifteen days later, the full moon arrives, bright and round with lanterns glowing below.
- 11:29Laura: Sky lights above, lantern lights below.
- 11:33Laura: That is beautiful.
- 11:36Laura: Later in the year comes the Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, another full moon celebration.
- 11:46Laura: Families admire the moon, share mooncakes, tell stories of Chang'e and the Jade Rabbit, and celebrate reunion.
- 11:56Laura: So in Chinese lunar festivals, the moon helps mark new beginnings, full moon brightness, family togetherness, and seasonal change.
- 12:07Laura: Now let's pause and notice something.
- 12:10Laura: Islamic moon sightings, Jewish lunar months, Chinese lunar festivals, science of moon phases, different traditions, different stories, same changing moon.
- 12:28Laura: Let's cross our Friendship Bridge.
- 12:31Laura: Today, our friendship bridge is made of moonlight.
- 12:35Laura: On one side, we have science.
- 12:38Laura: The moon changes shape because we see different amounts of its sunlit half as it orbits Earth.
- 12:46Laura: On another side, we have calendars.
- 12:50Laura: Muslims look for the crescent moon to begin Ramadan and Eid.
- 12:55Laura: Jewish months begin with Rosh Chodesh, connected with the new moon.
- 13:01Laura: Chinese festivals move with the lunar calendar from Lunar New Year to Lantern Festival to Mid-Autumn Festival.
- 13:10Laura: All of these connect to one big truth: people have always looked up at the moon and noticed change.
- 13:18Laura: The moon is not the same every night, but every phase matters.
- 13:24Laura: The new moon matters because it begins again.
- 13:28Laura: The crescent matters because it returns.
- 13:31Laura: The half-moon matters because it's on its way.
- 13:35Laura: The gibbous moon matters because it is almost full.
- 13:40Laura: The full moon matters because it shines.
- 13:43Laura: The waning moon matters because it teaches letting go.
- 13:48Laura: Then the new moon returns, and the whole cycle starts again.
- 13:53Laura: Isn't that a lot like life?
- 13:55Laura: Sometimes you feel bright and full of energy.
- 14:00Laura: Sometimes you feel small and quiet.
- 14:04Laura: Sometimes you are growing.
- 14:06Laura: Sometimes you are resting.
- 14:09Laura: Sometimes you are letting go of something.
- 14:12Laura: Sometimes you are beginning again.
- 14:16Laura: And all of those phases are a part of being human.
- 14:20Laura: You do not have to be full moon bright every day.
- 14:25Laura: You are still you when you are a tiny crescent.
- 14:29Laura: You are still you when you need rest.
- 14:31Laura: You are still you when you are changing.
- 14:35Laura: That is our friendship bridge.
- 14:38Laura: Different cultures honor the moon in different ways, but many notice the same pattern.
- 14:45Laura: Change is natural, and every phase has beauty.
- 14:51Laura: Now, I think our brains are ready for a game.
- 14:55Laura: It's game time.
- 15:02Laura: Welcome to Riddle Me Moon.
- 15:05Laura: Today's game is a moon phase riddle challenge.
- 15:09Laura: Listen closely, think like a sky detective, and see if you can solve each moon mystery.
- 15:17Laura: Ready, moon thinkers?
- 15:19Laura: Let's begin.
- 15:21Laura: Moon riddle one: I look round, bright, and complete.
- 15:27Laura: I am the phase people often notice first because I can light up the night sky.
- 15:34Laura: I happen when the side of the moon facing Earth is fully lit by the sun.
- 15:41Laura: What phase am I?
- 15:45Laura: Full moon.
- 15:47Laura: The full moon looks round and bright because we can see the whole sunlit side facing Earth.
- 15:54Laura: Moon riddle two: I am only a little thin slice of light.
- 16:01Laura: I happen after the full moon when the moon's bright part is almost gone.
- 16:06Laura: Soon, the moon will look dark and begin the cycle again.
- 16:11Laura: What phase am I?
- 16:16Laura: Waning crescent.
- 16:19Laura: Waning means shrinking, and the waning crescent is the last small sliver before the new moon.
- 16:27Laura: Moon riddle three: I look like half a moon, but my name is different.
- 16:34Laura: I come after the new moon and before the full moon.
- 16:39Laura: Each night after me, the bright part keeps growing.
- 16:44Laura: What phase am I?
- 16:50Laura: First quarter.
- 16:52Laura: The first quarter looks half lit from Earth, but it is called quarter because the moon is about one quarter of the way through its cycle.
- 17:02Laura: Moon riddle four: I am more than half lit, but I am not full.
- 17:08Laura: My bright part is getting smaller each night.
- 17:12Laura: I come after the full moon and before the last quarter.
- 17:18Laura: What phase am I?
- 17:22Laura: Waning gibbous.
- 17:25Laura: Waning means shrinking, and gibbous means the moon looks more than half full.
- 17:31Laura: Moon riddle five: I am the moon phase you usually cannot see.
- 17:37Laura: The moon has not disappeared, but the side facing Earth is dark.
- 17:43Laura: I begin the moon's cycle again.
- 17:47Laura: What phase am I?
- 17:53Laura: New moon.
- 17:54Laura: During a new moon, the side facing Earth is not lit by the sun, so the moon is hard or almost impossible to see.
- 18:05Laura: Moon riddle six: I am more than half lit, but not quite round.
- 18:12Laura: I come before the full moon.
- 18:15Laura: Each night, my bright part keeps growing.
- 18:19Laura: What phase am I?
- 18:24Laura: Waxing gibbous.
- 18:26Laura: Waxing means growing, and the waxing gibbous grows brighter on the way to the full moon.
- 18:34Laura: Moon riddle seven: I look like half a moon.
- 18:39Laura: I come after the full moon when the bright part is shrinking.
- 18:44Laura: Even though I look half lit, I am near the end of the moon's cycle.
- 18:50Laura: What phase am I?
- 18:55Laura: Last quarter.
- 18:57Laura: The last quarter moon looks half lit, but it comes after the full moon as the visible light gets smaller.
- 19:05Laura: Moon riddle eight: I am a tiny curved sliver.
- 19:11Laura: I come after the new moon when the moon's light is just beginning to grow.
- 19:17Laura: Each night after me, you can see a little more light.
- 19:22Laura: What phase am I?
- 19:26Laura: Waxing crescent.
- 19:28Laura: Waxing means growing, and the waxing crescent is the first small sliver of light after the new moon.
- 19:37Laura: Wonderful moon thinking.
- 19:40Laura: You solved the riddles of the changing moon.
- 19:46Laura: What's inside our belief backpack this week?
- 19:53Laura: Today, we explored why the moon changes shape.
- 19:57Laura: We learned that the moon is always round, but we see different amounts of its sunlit side as it travels around Earth.
- 20:06Laura: We learned the moon phases, new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent, then back to new.
- 20:22Laura: We learned that Muslims look for the crescent moon to begin important months like Ramadan, Shawwal, which begins Eid al-Fitr.
- 20:32Laura: We learned that Jewish months begin with Rosh Chodesh, connected with the new moon, and that the moon helps shape the rhythm of Jewish time.
- 20:43Laura: We learned that Chinese lunar festivals include new beginnings at Lunar New Year, lanterns at the first full moon, and family reunion under the Mid-Autumn Moon.
- 20:58Laura: So what goes into our Belief Backpack?
- 21:01Laura: Today's Belief Backpack takeaway is Change is natural, and every phase has beauty.
- 21:09Laura: Let's say that together.
- 21:11Laura: Change is natural,
- 21:14Annie: Change is natural
- 21:15Laura: and every phase has beauty.
- 21:18Annie: And every phase has beauty
- 21:20Laura: You are allowed to change.
- 21:22Laura: You are allowed to grow slowly.
- 21:26Laura: You are allowed to have bright full moon days when you feel excited and brave.
- 21:33Laura: You are allowed to have quiet crescent days when you need rest.
- 21:38Laura: You are allowed to begin again.
- 21:42Laura: The moon does not apologize for changing.
- 21:45Laura: It just shines the light it has, and that is enough.
- 21:51Laura: This week's challenge is called My Moon Phase Check-In.
- 21:55Laura: Each day, ask yourself, "What moon phase do I feel like today?
- 22:01Laura: Do I feel like a new moon, quiet and resting?
- 22:05Laura: A crescent moon, just starting something new?
- 22:09Laura: A half moon, halfway there?
- 22:12Laura: A full moon, bright and ready?
- 22:16Laura: A waning moon, letting go and slowing down?"
- 22:21Laura: Then tell a grown-up, draw it, or act it out.
- 22:25Laura: And remember, no phase is bad.
- 22:29Laura: Every phase belongs.
- 22:31Laura: Thank you for joining me for another episode of Sky Stories: Wonder Written in the Stars.
- 22:39Laura: The next time you see the moon, notice its shape.
- 22:44Laura: Is it hiding?
- 22:45Laura: Is it growing?
- 22:47Laura: Is it glowing?
- 22:49Laura: Is it letting go?
- 22:51Laura: Whatever phase it is in, I hope you remember this.
- 22:55Laura: The moon is beautiful in every shape, and so are you.
- 23:02Laura: I'm Laura, and this has been Faithfully Explore.
- 23:05Laura: Until next time, stay curious, stay kind, and keep faithfully exploring that wonderful world around you.
- 23:13Faithfully Explore! Outro: Faithfully Explore!
- 23:16Faithfully Explore! Outro: is about you.
- 23:21Faithfully Explore! Outro: Let's grow kinder together it's true!