Nora’s Moon Watch

Nora and Keith join the school astronomy club in the evening. A pale moon hangs above the roof, just beyond the tall playground fence.

Their teacher sets a telescope on its three firm legs. Nora steps up to look, but a grey cloud slides across the moon.

“It was there a moment ago,” she says. Keith looks up and points to the bright edge still showing behind the cloud.

They wait beside the telescope without moving it. The teacher explains that the cloud is moving across their view, not taking the moon away.

A light wind pushes the cloud towards the roof. Bit by bit, the bright curve of the moon comes into view again.

The teacher checks the telescope and invites Nora to look. She sees rough marks along the edge of the moon that she could not see before.

Then Nora steps back so Keith can have a turn. He looks carefully before drawing the moon’s curve in his small notebook.

Another cloud comes across, but Nora does not worry this time. “We know what to do,” she says. “We can wait for a clear patch.”