TO OBSERVE THE MOON’S APPEARANCE AND POSITION

OVER A MINIMUM OF 10 DAYS

M. Pillay 22500792

University Of Pretoria, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology,

Department of Physics, Lynnwood Rd, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0002, Gauteng, South Africa.
Abstract: Astronomy is a study that seeks answers in an attempt to explain everything we are able to
observe in the universe and beyond, from the planets to the multiple known galaxies, to the very
seasons we experience in our daily lives. The purpose of this scientific report is to investigate the
changes of the moon and its phases over the predetermined period of 10 days. Starting from day one
until day 10. Thereafter the results and observations are to be analyzed scientifically.

1. INTRODUCTION

The moon is a small, cold, and dry spherical object

orbiting the Earth. The moon is the nearest celestial body 3. SECOND DAY OF OBSERVATIONS
to Earth. It orbits the Earth at an approximate distance of
384,400km, at an average speed of 3,700 km/h and it has Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00
a radius of about 1,737km. Date : 11 May 2022, Wednesday Evening
The moon has a surface gravity of about 1/6 of Earths
gravity, its gravitational pull is known for affecting the The moon still rises from an eastward direction as is still in
tidal force of Earths oceans. The “Moonlight” seen to be the waxing gibbous phase. The percentage of the illuminated
emitted from the moon is actually reflected sunlight. The section of the moon has notably increased by 9.78% and the
moon rotates on its axis in 27,3 days, this is a similar darker side has decreased in percentage. The change was
time frame it takes to orbit the Earth which is roughly slight, but noticeable.
29,53 days, during this time the moon orbits the Earth
and experiences all 8 phases. Approximately 76.62% of the right side of the moon is
Due the different angles the moon is placed while it illuminated. The moon is still at an angle of approx. 135
orbits the Earth different sections of the face are lit by the degrees behind, relative to the sun. The estimated age of the
sun, this is what causes the display of different phases of moon on this day is about 10.83 days old.
the moon during one month.
4. THIRD DAY OF OBSERVATIONS
As time gradually passes the position, the shape and the
size of the moon differs. During these 10 days of Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00
observing the moon, it is expected to behold the different Date : 12 May 2022, Thursday Evening
phases and positions, in spite of the fact that the moon
will be observed in the same place at the same time. The The moon still rises from an eastward direction as is still in
moon phases and position will not be the same due to the the waxing gibbous phase. The percentage of the illuminated
rotating of the earth and the moon which will be moving section of the moon has notably increased by 8.81% and the
in orbit. The moon is observed to be moving eastward, darker side has decreased in percentage.
and later each day passing through its phases: new moon,
first quarter, full moon, final quarter each month. Approximately 85.43% of the entirety of the moon is
illuminated. The moon is still at an angle of approx. 135
degrees behind, relative to the sun. The estimated age of the
2. FIRST DAY OF OBSERVATIONS moon on this day is about 11.86 days old.

Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00 5. FOURTH DAY OF OBSERVATIONS

Date : 10 May 2022, Tuesday Evening
Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00
The moon rises from an eastward direction in the waxing Date : 13 May 2022, Friday Evening
gibbous phase. This phase starts just after the first quarter
moon and lasts until the full moon. The moon still rises from an eastward direction as is still in
the waxing gibbous phase. The percentage of the illuminated
Approximately 66.84% of the left side of the moon is section of the moon has increased by 6.25% and the darker
illuminated. The moon is at an angle of approx. 135 side has decreased in percentage. The change was slight and
degrees behind, relative to the sun. The estimated age of barely noticeable.
the moon on this day is about 9.79 days old.
Approximately 91.68% of the entirety of the moon is
illuminated. The moon is still at an angle of approx. 135
degrees behind, relative to the sun. The estimated age of the
moon on this day is about 12.89 days old.
 until the third quarter moon. The percentage of the
illuminated section of the moon has now decreased from the
right side by 0.96% and the darker side has increased in
percentage. Changes are minimal and are barely noticeable.

Approximately 99.04% of the entirety of the moon is

6. FIFTH DAY OF OBSERVATIONS illuminated. The moon is now at an angle of approx. 135
degrees ahead, relative to the sun. The estimated age of the
Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00 moon on this day is about 16.29 days old.
Date : 14 May 2022, Saturday Evening
10. NINTH DAY OF OBSERVATIONS
The moon still rises from an eastward direction as is still
in the waxing gibbous phase. The percentage of the Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00
illuminated section of the moon has increased by 5.99% Date : 18 May 2022, Wednesday Evening
and the darker side has decreased in percentage. Changes
were minimal. The moon still rises from an eastward direction as is in the
waning gibbous phase for the second night. The percentage
Approximately 97.67% of the entirety of the moon is of the illuminated section of the moon has decreased by
illuminated. The moon is still at an angle of approx. 135 4.04% and the darker side has increased in percentage.
degrees behind, relative to the sun. The estimated age of Changes are minimal and slightly noticeable.
the moon on this day is about 13.92 days old.
Approximately 95% of the entirety of the moon is
7. SIXTH DAY OF OBSERVATIONS illuminated. The moon is still at an angle of approx. 135
degrees ahead, relative to the sun. The estimated age of the
Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00 moon on this day is about 17.04 days old.
Date : 15 May 2022, Sunday Evening

The moon still rises from an eastward direction as is still 11. TENTH DAY OF OBSERVATIONS
in the waxing gibbous phase however this is the last night it
will be in this phase. The percentage of the illuminated Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00
section of the moon has increased by 2.25% and the darker Date : 19 May 2022, Thursday Evening
side has decreased slightly in percentage and is barely
visible. Changes are not noticeable to the naked eye. The moon still rises from an eastward direction as is in the
waning gibbous phase for the third night. The percentage of
Approximately 99.92% of the entirety of the moon is the illuminated section of the moon has decreased by 6.93%
illuminated. The moon is still at an angle of approx. 135 and the darker side has increased in percentage. Changes are
degrees behind, relative to the sun. The estimated age of now beginning to become more obvious.
the moon on this day is about 14.96 days old.
Approximately 88.07% of the entirety of the moon is
8. SEVENTH DAY OF OBSERVATIONS illuminated. The moon is still at an angle of approx. 135
degrees ahead, relative to the sun. The estimated age of the
Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00 moon on this day is about 18.09 days old. This was the last
Date : 16 May 2022, Monday Evening and final night the moon was observed at the same place at
the same time.
The moon still rises from an eastward direction and has
now changed phases, it is now a full moon. The percentage
of the illumination of the moon has increased by 0.08% and 12. CONCLUSION
no darker side of the moon is present. Changes are not
visible, however there were slight changes. According to the observations made on the moon throughout
the 10-day period, it has been observed that the moon
Approximately 100.00% of the moon is illuminated. The changes in shape, position the percentage of the moon that is
moon is now at an angle of approx. 180 degrees, relative to illuminated by the sunlight.
the sun. The estimated age of the moon on this day is about
15.14 days old. Time between full moons is approx. 29.531 In our solar system the only celestial object capable of
days. producing its own light is a star we call the sun. This light
shines on half of our planet during its orbit and on the
9. EIGHTH DAY OF OBSERVATIONS surface of the moon, which creates moonlight. Just like our
planet, the different sides of the moon experiences what we
Time of observation: 20h30 – 21h00 call ‘day’ and ‘night’. The sun will always illuminate half of
Date : 17 May 2022, Tuesday Evening the moon, while the remaining half remains in darkness.

The moon still rises from an eastward direction and has So, when the moon is in a phase where it is barely visible
now entered the waning gibbous phases, this means the (New moon) , this means the illuminated half of the moon is
illuminated part of the moon is going to start getting facing the sun and the opposite half is facing us on Earth,
smaller. This phase starts after the full moon, and it lasts however when the entire surface of the moon can be viewed
(Full moon), the moon is in a position where it is directly decreased, that was also an identifier.
opposite the sun and is simultaneously facing the Earth as
well.
Depending on the position of the moon relative to the sun
and the Earth, the direction and angle the sunlight reflects
on the moon, these are all factors that influence the
different phases of the moon throughout the course of one
month.

Figure 1: Full diagram illustrating of all the moon

phases observed throughout 10-days.

13. QUESTIONS 4.)

1.)

Figure 3: Diameter of the moon (Calculations)

10. REFERENCES

Figure 2: Diagram of 8 positions of the moon.

[1]
2.) i. a new moon rising – Rises at sunrise.
ii. a first quarter moon setting- Midnight.
iii. a full moon setting – Sets at sunrise.

3.) The first few days of the observation the moon was in
the first quarter moon phase. A first quarter moon usually
rises in the morning and sets around midnight. As the
experiment continued until the full moon phase, the moon’s
illuminated section increased and the darker section
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[Accessed 25 May 2022].

[2] MOONGIANT, 2022. Moon Giant. [Online]

Available at: https://www.moongiant.com/phase/
[Accessed 26 May 2022].

[3] The Nine Planets, 2022. [Online]

Available at: https://nineplanets.org/moon/phase/

[4] The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, 2022. StarDate. [Online]

Available at: https://stardate.org/nightsky/moon
[Accessed 25 May 2022].