Moonlight

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/moonlight

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. What is Moonlight known for?A minor component of moonlight, resulting from sunlight reflected by Earth
2. What is the albedo of lunar surface?Approximately 0.12, meaning it reflects about 12% of incident sunlight
3. What is the ecological significance?Influences nocturnal animal behavior, reproduction, navigation, and predator-prey dynamics
4. What makes the Moon shine at night?The Moon shines because it reflects sunlight that hits its surface. The Moon itself has no light of its own.
5. Why is the Moon not as bright as the Sun?The Moon only reflects about 12% of the sunlight that falls on it. Moonlight is much dimmer, ranging from 0.0001 lux at a new moon to about 0.3 lux at a full moon, compared to thousands of lux in daylight.

Albedo: The proportion of incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface.
Earthlight: Sunlight reflected from Earth that illuminates the Moon.
Nocturnal Rhythms: Biological cycles that regulate the activity patterns of organisms during the night.