Keeping Time with the Skies: common misconceptions

If your child says… “Earth must go around the Sun before another day begins.”

Ask together

Which arrow shows Earth turning without completing its path around the Sun?

What’s true

The solar day averages 24 hours between the Sun's successive highest positions.

If your child says… “Earth's shadow makes the crescent.”

Ask together

Does each Moon's dark half face away from sunlight even without Earth's shadow?

What’s true

Outside lunar eclipses, sunlight reaches about half the Moon throughout its cycle.

If your child says… “Gibbous means a thin crescent.”

Ask together

Does this bright area cover less than half the Moon's visible circle?

What’s true

A gibbous Moon has more than half, but not all, of its visible circle bright.

If your child says… “The Moon rises at the same time every day.”

Ask together

What changed between your views from the same doorway at the same clock time?

What’s true

A full Moon rises near sunset, while a crescent appears near the Sun.

If your child says… “Every year needs a whole extra day.”

Ask together

How many quarter-days make a whole day?

What’s true

Adding a whole day yearly would exceed the small yearly shortfall.

If your child says… “One extra day fixes a Moon calendar.”

Ask together

Would one day fill even the first year's eleven-day gap?

What’s true

Twelve Moon months fall roughly eleven days short of a solar year.

If your child says… “Every calendar starts in January.”

Ask together

Which month is printed beside Chaitra 1?

What’s true

Chaitra begins on 22 March, or 21 March in Gregorian leap years.

If your child says… “Only things people launch are satellites.”

Ask together

Does the Moon need to be human-made to travel around Earth?

What’s true

An object can be a satellite without being made or launched by people.