Moon Coloring Pages

The only satellite going around Earth Moon is a space object right next to Earth. Moon is a satellite that goes round and round Earth. It shines by bouncing back light from the Sun, so it looks very bright in the night sky.

Where its name and English name come from

The name of Moon comes from magical feelings that people had long ago.

• English name: In English, it is called Moon.

• Where the English name comes from: People say it comes from the Germanic word Menon. This word means something that measures time. People long ago looked at how Moon changed its shape to count the days.

• Latin name: In space science, it is sometimes called Luna. This is the name of the goddess of Moon in Roman myths.

Moon changing shape and what its surface looks like

Changing shapes Moon looks like it changes its shape every day when you look at it from Earth. This happens because the spot where sunlight hits Moon changes as Moon goes around Earth.

• New Moon: When you cannot see it at all.

• Crescent Moon: A thin shape like a bow.

• Full Moon: When it shines bright and fully round.

Bumpy surface The surface of Moon has many craters. These are marks made when space rocks hit Moon.

• Seas of Moon: Flat parts that look dark from Earth are called seas. But there is no real water there.

• Patterns on Moon: In Japan, people say the dark spots on Moon look like a rabbit making rice cakes. But in other parts of the world, some countries see a crab or a lion instead.

• How to choose colors: Color Moon with white or light yellow to make it look like it is shining in the night sky. If you color the dark parts with light gray, it will look real.

• How to make it look 3D: Try adding shadows on just one side of the craters with a little bit darker gray. This will make Moon look 3D with a bumpy surface!

• How to color the background: Color the night sky around Moon in deep black or dark navy blue. It will make Moon stand out bright and look so cool!

Why does Moon change its shape?

Moon changes its shape into a crescent or a full moon, doesn't it? But Moon itself is not changing its shape at all. The shape of the bright part lit up by the sun just looks a little different every day from Earth. Moon is actually round like a ball all the time!

Can you see the "Rabbit Making Rice Cakes"?

People sometimes look at the patterns on Moon and say it looks like "a rabbit making rice cakes." These dark patterns are called "seas of Moon," but there is no water. They are flat places made of hardened lava. In other countries, people think these patterns look like a crab, a lion, or a grandma reading a book!

Moon does not shine on its own!

Moon shines the brightest in the night sky, but it does not make its own light like the sun or other stars. It just looks bright because it reflects light from the sun like a mirror. That is why you cannot see Moon at all during a "new moon," when the sun's light does not hit it and it turns completely dark.

Can you never see the far side?

We can never see the far side of Moon from Earth. Moon goes around Earth, but it also spins around itself. Because it spins at the exact same speed as it goes around us, Moon always shows the same face to Earth. To see the far side, you would have to go into space in a rocket!