It takes 29 1/2 days (almost 1 month) for the moon to move around the Earth. The moon does not make ony light of its own. The lighted parts we see are called phases. The moon reflects from the sun. As the moon moves around the Earth, it look like it has different shapes. The shape of the moon does not really change. It just changes it location in space. Half of the moon is always lit up by the sun. As the moon orbits the Earth we see different parts of the lighted area.