Lunation . ... Credit Copyright: Antяnio Cidadжo Explanation: Our Moon's appearance changes nightly. This slow-loading time-lapse sequence shows what our Moon looks like during a lunation , a complete lunar cycle. As the Moon orbits the Earth , the half illuminated by the Sun first becomes increasingly visible, then decreasingly visible. ... During the cycle , sunlight reflects from the Moon at different angles, and so illuminates different features differently. ... NASA Official: Jay Norris. ...