Moon Phases

A full moon always rises in th' east aroun' th' time th' sun is settin' in th' west. And hoist the mainsail! At full moon, we be seein' all o' th' moon's day side. The moon an' sun be on a line, with Earth in betwixt, to be sure. It's as though Earth is th' fulcrum o' a seesaw, an' th' moon an' sun be sittin' on either end o' th' seesaw, by Davy Jones' locker. Thus as th' sun sets in th' west, th' full moon rises. Load the cannons! When th' sun is below our feet at midnight, th' full moon is highest in th' sky, and a bottle of rum, I'll warrant ye! When th' sun rises again at dawn, th' full moon is settin'.

In many ways, a full moon is th' opposite o' a new moon, yo ho, ho At both th' new an' full phases, th' moon is on a line with th' Earth an' sun. At new moon, th' moon is in th' middle position along th' line. At full moon, Earth is in th' middle.

Full moon always comes about two weeks after new moon, when th' moon is midway aroun' in its orbit o' Earth, as measured from one new moon t' th' next.

If thar is a lunar eclipse, it must happen at full moon. It's only a full moon that Earth's shadow, extendin' opposite th' sun, can fall on th' moon's face.