The following table lists statistical information for the Sun and planets:
| Distance (AU) | Radius (Earth's) | Mass (Earth's) | Rotation (Earth's) | # Moons | Orbital Inclination | Orbital Eccentricity | Obliquity | Density (g/cm3) | |
| Sun | 0 | 109 | 332,800 | 25-36* | 9 | --- | --- | --- | 1.410 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 0.39 | 0.38 | 0.05 | 58.8 | 0 | 7 | 0.2056 | 0.1° | 5.43 |
| Venus | 0.72 | 0.95 | 0.89 | 244 | 0 | 3.394 | 0.0068 | 177.4° | 5.25 |
| Earth | 1.0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0167 | 23.45° | 5.52 |
| Mars | 1.5 | 0.53 | 0.11 | 1.029 | 2 | 1.850 | 0.0934 | 25.19° | 3.95 |
| Jupiter | 5.2 | 11 | 318 | 0.411 | 16 | 1.308 | 0.0483 | 3.12° | 1.33 |
| Saturn | 9.5 | 9 | 95 | 0.428 | 18 | 2.488 | 0.0560 | 26.73° | 0.69 |
| Uranus | 19.2 | 4 | 17 | 0.748 | 15 | 0.774 | 0.0461 | 97.86° | 1.29 |
| Neptune | 30.1 | 4 | 17 | 0.802 | 8 | 1.774 | 0.0097 | 29.56° | 1.64 |
| Pluto | 39.5 | 0.18 | 0.002 | 0.267 | 1 | 17.15 | 0.2482 | 119.6° | 2.03 |
* The Sun's period of rotation at the surface varies from approximately 25 days at the equator to 36 days at the poles. Deep down, below the convective zone, everything appears to rotate with a period of 27 days.
The moon has a powerful allure -- it is full of beauty, legend, myth and romance. Anyone with an interest in the moon or the phases of the moon -- for whatever reason -- should find some valuable information here, including a free current / daily moon phases website module, how to get a moon phases calendar software application, and other lunar phases information, including links.
Free Daily Moon Phases Website Module
| This "Current Moon" module provides basic information on the current moon phase. It is intended to be a helpful general reference. You can put this moon phases module on your website. If you don't operate a website, you can view the real-time moon module anytime from your computer by bookmarking the Current Moon Phase Page (link opens a new window; after it opens, bookmark the page using your web browser). Or you can add it to your Google home page. In addition to a graphical picture, it provides:
| CURRENT MOON |
Past & Future Moon Phase Calendars
The free module shown above is pretty useful. But if you'd like additional features like monthly calendars, upcoming full moon / new moon info, and other details, download a copy of QuickPhase for use anytime on your personal computer.
I created it, so I couldn't be biased :-) ... but it's a big time-saver if you're looking at the moon phases regularly. Plus it's attractive. Most other moon phases calendar applications are either unwieldy, ugly, complicated, or inconvenient because you have to access a website to use it. As I've used it, I found an unexpected side benefit -- a handy general purpose calendar for looking at future dates, since it seems like I never have a wall calendar.
Here are a few core features:
- detail on current moon phases, like full moon percentage, when the next new or full moon is, etc
- thousands of years of past and future moon phases calendars, so you can:
- find past moon phases back to 0AD
- find future moon phases to the year 4999
Moon Phase Screensaver
Here is a beautiful and fun moon phase screensaver with lots of other unique features above and beyond the ordinary screensaver.
Brief Explanation of the Moon Phases
The phases of the moon are caused by the relative positions of the earth, sun, and moon. The moon goes around the earth in 27.3 days, or 27 days 7 hours 43 minutes, on average. This measurement is relative to the stars and is called the sidereal period or orbital period. However, because of the earth's motion around the sun, a complete moon cycle (New Moon to New Moon) appears to earthbound observers to take a couple of days longer: 29.5305882 days to be exact. This number is called the synodic period or "lunation", and is relative to the sun.
The sun always illuminates the half of the moon facing the sun (except during lunar eclipses, when the moon passes thru the earth's shadow). When the sun and moon are on opposite sides of the earth, the moon appears "full" to us, a bright, round disk. When the moon is between the earth and the sun, it appears dark, a "new" moon. In between, the moon's illuminated surface appears to grow (wax) to full, then decreases (wanes) to the next new moon.
The edge of the shadow (the terminator) is always curved, being an oblique view of a circle, giving the moon its familiar crescent shape. Because the "horns" of the moon at the ends of the crescent are always facing away from the setting or rising sun, they always point upward in the sky. It is fun to watch for paintings and pictures which show an "impossible moon" with the horns pointed downwards.
(some of above information courtesy of NASA http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov)
 New Moon |  Waxing Crescent |  First Quarter |  Waxing Gibbous |  Full Moon |  Waning Gibbous |  Last Quarter |  Waning Crescent |
Other Lunar Phases Information
(all links open in the same new window)
NASA, USNO
moon phase data - U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department website, a great all-around online tool for "raw" data and information about the sun, moon, and starsLunar Eclipse Information
Lunar Prospector Mission - a look at the events surrounding the first NASA Moon mission in 25 years! Lots of information and pictures.
moon pictures - very interesting lunar images! This NASA page has over 130 pictures (thumbnails) of the moon. Click on a thumbnail to for more info. Close-ups of the surface of the moon, distance views, astronauts, moon landings, more.
Mr. Eclipse - breathtaking eclipse photos, both lunar and solar, probably the best eclipse photography site anywhereEducation / Classroom Moon Phases Activities
International Occultation Timing Association - An index and information site, a more technical and in-depth look at lunar (and other) eclipses
K-12 lunar phases activity from NASA - rather than use chalkboard diagrams to illustrate the phases, this activity uses actual objects (pencil, styrofoam ball) to help students grasp the concepts; Newton's Apple has a similar but more detailed moon phase lesson plan for elementary-age studentsThere are many theories and thoughts about the effects of the moon on people, animals, and the natural world. Here are a few interesting links:
lunar phases explanation from factmonster.com - here's a good basic overview of the phases of the moon from the Family Education Network
phases of the moon online movie - this is a short movie taught by a professional astronomer and a Newton's Apple scientist in an interesting, conversational manner, using large 3-D moon and earth spheres and simulated sunlight to demonstrate how the moon phases work
Earth-Moon-Sun system video diagrams - from NOAO (National Optical Astronomy Observatory), these QuickTime online video clips and animations are an excellent way to illustrate the moon's phases
moon and the tides - this is a really good, concise page on how the moon affects the tides by its phase (full moon, new moon, etc) and its position (perigee, apogee)Other:
how moon phases affect animals - discusses the "Solunar Theory" that affects fishing and hunting activities
the real scoop on moon phases - another article on how the moon phases affect angling
about the moon - here's a website you'll want to watch for almost anything moon related including a moon phases calendar
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