Ever wondered why we see different phases of the Moon? It's not because the Moon changes shape, but because of how sunlight hits it as it orbits Earth. When the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, we see a new moon. As it moves, more of its sunlit half becomes visible, creating crescents, quarters, and eventually a full moon when Earth is between the Sun and Moon. This cycle takes about 29.5 days, which is why months were originally based on the Moon's phases. Every glowing crescent or shining fu