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	NSES Standards
	• Content Standard in K-4 Earth and Space Science (Changes in Earth and sky, Objects in the sky) • Content Standard in 5-8 Earth and Space Sciences (Earth in the solar system) • Content Standard in 5-8 Science as Inquiry (Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry)

Lunar Phases
First Quarter	Full	Last Quarter	New Moon

Materials
• Clear skies
• Notebook
• Soft drawing pencil
• Binoculars
• Moon chart

Preparation
First, figure out when you can see the Moon. Use the StarDate Moon Phase Calculator or a calendar to find the Moon's phase on the day you will carry out this activity. The outdoor part of this activity requires good weather.

In choosing a day, keep these tips in mind:
• Although "new Moon" may seem to be the perfect phase for this activity, it really isn't. "New Moon" means "no Moon." During this phase, the Moon is in the sky all day, but it lies in the direction of the Sun and its night side faces Earth. That means no lunar surface features will be visible.
• During full Moon, patterns of dark and light on its surface are easy to distinguish. That's when the "maria" - smooth, almost crater-free regions on the Moon - are easiest to see.
• During crescent or quarter phases, the craters and mountains cast distinct shadows and become more noticeable.
Once you know the Moon's phase, the chart provided here will help you decide the best time of day (or night!) for lunar viewing.

Activity
Draw two circles in your observing notebook. List the time, date, sky conditions, and location. Indicate the phase of the Moon within your circle. Now, sketch in the light and dark areas. A soft pencil works best. You might try smudging the lines to show light and dark. If you have binoculars, repeat the activity using them. Binoculars will allow you to see a lot more detail. At another phase (at least five days later), repeat the activity.

Analysis
Compare the naked-eye and binocular drawings done on the same date with each other. What details are visible? Can you identify any features from the lunar map? Now, compare the drawings from one date to the other.