Unlike a lamp or our sun, the moon doesn't produce its own light. Moonlight is actually sunlight that shines on the moon and bounces off. The light reflects off old volcanoes, craters, and lava flows on the moon's surface.

How does moon shine?

The moon shines because its surface reflects light from the sun. ... This is when the moon is between the sun and the Earth, so that the side of the moon reflecting sunlight is facing away from Earth. In the days before and after a new moon, we'll see a sliver of the moon reflecting sunlight.

Why the moon glows at night?

In our solar system, the planets and their moons receive light from the Sun, which is a star. When the moon appears to glow, it's actually bouncing sunlight from the day side of the earth to the night side where you're viewing it. ... This is because they have a high albedo, which means that they reflect light well.