Why can you see the moon during the day?

[MumtoLaura]

My DD asked me this. I've looked it up on the internet but can't understand the answer . Can anybody explain it in a way I can explain it to a 4 year old please. Thanks!

i think poss because the sun shines on it and makes a shadow so we can see it?? someone else prob has more scientific answer!!

The moon is always there, but you can see it better at night because the sun goes down so the moon shines instead. During the day the sun's light sometimes shines on the moon so you can see it.

mm well the moon doesn't have it's own 'shine' only a reflection of the sun's rays so it's not quite that (i think. will try to think of way of putting it...

But Rhubarb, if it's always there when does the otherside of the world get to see it (I'm a bit confused - sorry)

Errr, well, ah shaddap!
Do I look like an astronomist? Do I????

Got this from google
The Moon goes around the Earth and the Earth goes around the Sun. This movement, along with the spin of the Earth means that the Moon and Sun seem to move around our sky quite independently of each other.

This means that often both the Moon and Sun will be above the horizon at the same time.

We can see the Moon because its being lit by the Sun. So as long as nothing stops sunlight getting to the Moon, like the Earth does during an eclipse, then we will be able to still see the Moon in the daytime sky

Asked DH to look it up in 'Dads Stuff'... It's supposed to be for precisely such problems so we will put it to the test!

So it is always there then! Nerr nerr!

Dad Stuff hasn't come up trumps. Boo, whaddaloadarubbish!

ok but im confused.... if the moon is going round the earth.... and it is ALWAYS there at night time (im assuming thats correct then) how come it can be there day time as well....

sureley it should be on our horizon about 12 hours per day, but sometimes we have it for several days in a row and i only assume its there at night time as well

i cant belive this basic concept genuinely confuses me so much!

Oh yes, it is definately always there. Like yoghurt on a highchair strap.

Oh just tell 'em it's made of green cheese at night and Lancashire cheese during the day, and there's a little man that lives on it with a torch to light it up!

NannyL I think the way it moves around the Earth and the Earth around the sun means that we get some of the moon in our view, that's why we get phases - full, half, crescent (like the Jaffa Cakes - I am obsessed with food today). Err. that's it. You understand now, yes?! He he, only joking, I know nowt and I don't expect that to be of much help at all!

Dad Stuff has a section on whether the moon is made of cheese.

Says it all really

Ahem. The moon is only visible during part of each month. Whether it's visible during the day or night depends on what day it is, and how "far" the phase is from full or new. The moon orbits the earth once (approximately) each month. As a result, sometimes the moon appears very close to the sun in the sky, and sometimes it is far away from the sun in the sky. When the moon is opposite the sun in the sky (which is when full moon happens), it will rise as the sun sets and set as the sun rises. Therefore, at this time, it will be up all night long. The further before or after full moon (in days), the more the moon will be visible during daytime hours (when the sun is in the sky). However, as the moon gets very close to new moon (when the moon and the sun are closest together), it is very difficult or impossible to see in the daytime sky.

They don't call me Pagan for nothing you know

The moon goes around the earth relatively quickly (I can't remember how fast exactly but certainly much faster than every 24 hours), so it will be in the night sky for at least part of the nighttime and in the day sky for at least part of the daytime although you won't always see it.

Ooops, strike what I said, what do I know.

Can't you just say it is having a lie-in or early night? Or something?

Have you also seen the book 'Great Lies to Tell Small Kids'? It's a cracker!

Pagan - I think I've got it. Not sure how I'm going to explain it to a 4 year old though!

How bout using a football (the sun) a tennisball (earth) and a ping pong ball (the moon and line them up with the moon in the middle and explain that if we were on earth looking at the moon we couldn't see it because the sun is right behind it shining more brightly and liken it to when you can't see who's coming along the road if the sunlight is in your face.

(I've only had one glass of wine - I don't know where I'm getting this from - hic)

Also when the moon is almost but not quite full it's called a gibbous moon!!!! Thus it grows long arms and eats a lot of bananas (chortle)

you have been reading the 'lies to tell kids' book - or you wrote it!? LOL!

Nah - I'm just curious enough to go and investigate moon sites for geeks and get all the answers. I did wonder that one myself though. Did like the use of the word gibbous though (chortling again) Chortle is also a good word!

cos its shiny

This is a good book (well, DS who's 4 likes it): my best book of the moon which has pictures and explanations of the phases of the moon.