Lunar month

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/lunar-month

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How long is Lunar month?29.530588853 days
2. What is the variability factor?Elliptical orbit and gravitational perturbations cause length fluctuations
3. What is the historical calendrical systems?Foundation for ancient Babylonian, Chinese, and Islamic calendars
4. Why does the length of a lunar month change a little?The Moon’s orbit is an ellipse and its speed changes, and other planets tug on it, so the month’s length can vary a tiny bit.
5. How did people use the Moon to keep time in the past?Ancient people made calendars that counted the Moon’s cycles to decide when to plant crops and hold festivals, and some cultures still use the lunar calendar for holidays.

Syzygy: An astronomical event where three celestial bodies are aligned in a straight line.
Synodic Month: The average period of 29.53 days between successive new moons or full moons.
Lunisolar Calendar: A calendar system that synchronizes lunar months with the solar year, often by adding intercalary months.