Why don’t we see the Moon on some Nights?

There are several reasons why we do not see the Moon on some nights. The moon does not give out its own light but reflects light from the Sun. Therefore, when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon. It casts a shadow over the Moon. This is known as an eclipse. When the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun only its far side is lit by the Sun’s rays. The side facing Earth is in total darkness. We call this a ‘new’ Moon. Finally, on nights when the sky is over cast, the clouds hide the moon from us.