The phases of the Moon refer to the changing shapes of the Moon's illuminated portion as seen from Earth, which cycle approximately every month.

A Full Moon day (Purnima) is when the entire illuminated portion of the Moon is visible from Earth, occurring approximately once a month.

Waxing refers to the increasing visibility of the Moon's illuminated part after the New Moon, while waning refers to the decreasing visibility after the Full Moon.

The Moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a cycle of phases, from New Moon to Full Moon and back.

The Moon is typically easiest to spot at sunset when it is waxing and at sunrise when it is waning.

A mean solar day is the average time it takes for the Sun to return to the same position in the sky, approximately 24 hours.

Students should document the date, whether the Moon was seen at sunrise or sunset, the size of the bright portion, and its position relative to the Sun.

A lunar calendar is based on the phases of the Moon, comprising about 12 lunar months, each approximately 29.5 days.

A solar calendar is based on the Earth's revolution around the Sun, typically comprising 365 days with adjustments like leap years.

Luni-solar calendars utilize the Moon's phases while making adjustments to align with the solar year, adding intercalary months when necessary.

The length of shadows cast by an object can indicate the Sun's position; shadows are shortest when the Sun is at its highest point around noon.

A crescent Moon appears when less than half of the Moon’s illuminated surface is visible from Earth, typically seen shortly after New Moon or just before Full Moon.

A gibbous Moon occurs when more than half of the Moon’s surface is illuminated and visible, seen during the latter part of the waxing phase and the early waning phase.

The Moon rotates on its axis in the same time it takes to orbit Earth, causing the same side to always face Earth.

During the Patang Mahotsav (International Kite Festival) in Ahmedabad, Meera observed the Moon in the daytime, prompting her questions about its visibility.

The Moon rises and sets at different times than the Sun; it rises about 50 minutes later each day.

Lunar cycles typically do not sync with seasons, resulting in lunar months shifting with respect to solar years.