ELI5 how it’s possible to ever see a full or new moon

Planetary Science

Since full moon means the sun is shining at the moon head on from the earth’s perspective, surely that must mean that at the time of a full moon, the earth right in between sun and moon. …but then wouldn’t the earth cast a shadow onto the moon, resulting in a lunar eclipse? How can we ever see a perfectly full moon?

Likewise, at new moon, surely the moon has to be right in between sun and earth, otherwise we’d see at least a tiny sliver of a crescent lit up. But then wouldn’t a perfect new moon always result in a solar eclipse?

Posted Oct 6, 2025, 7:07 PM UTC

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