Why is moon bright

The time between two consecutive full moons is roughly This means the date of Easter can move around quite a lot. This is a US thing. According to US reports , the name might refer to earthworms appearing in the soil as the weather warms in the northern hemisphere. That happens once every 29 days or so. It is the moment the Moon is most illuminated.

So how long does that last? In reality, it is a split second - the moment of maximum fullness is fleeting. Either way, if you saw the full moon and thought it might be a nice night to go on a date, you probably have a couple of days left when the Moon will still look impressive and amazing in the sky. This is when the moon is between the sun and the Earth, so that the side of the moon reflecting sunlight is facing away from Earth.

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Beginner Are there telescopes that can see the flag and lunar rover on the Moon? It should look much like the photograph of the half moon. Notice that even the lighted part of the ball is not as bright as it was when you simulated the full moon. That is because most of the light is still reflecting back towards the lamp, just as it was before.

The difference is that you are not between the lamp and the ball, so that reflected light is not coming towards you. If you want to compare the actual brightness of the different phases of the moon, do an internet search for "printable eye chart", or make your own. It should have very large letters at the top, and they should get smaller as you go down the page.

Print that page, and find a place outside where there are no lights shining on you except for the moon. Notice what phase it is in, and then see how far down the chart you can read, using moonlight for illumination. On a clear night, with a full moon, you should be able to read several of the top lines of letters. A week later, at the half moon, try it again.