The Moon, our only natural satellite, travels on an orbit approximately 350 000 kilometers from planet Earth. The Moon orbits Earth in a counterclockwise direction, and it completes one cycle around the planet in 27 days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes. This is called a month.

Only one side of the Moon faces towards our planet at all times. The "dark side of the Moon" has only been investigated with space probes. 

During a new moon (phase 1 in the picture), the Sun and the Moon are aligned, and the face of the Moon is dark. As the Moon increases in phase (waxes), the right side of the Moon is bright. When the Moon decreases in phase (wanes), the left side of the Moon is bright.

During a full moon (phase 5 in the picture) the whole face of the Moon is bright. When the Earth, Moon, and Sun are all aligned, a solar eclipse can be experienced on Earth. Similarly, a lunar eclipse can be experienced during a full moon.
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