* The side of the moon that faces the sun is *not* always illuminated. While the side facing the sun is lit, the other side is in darkness. This is because the moon rotates on its axis at the same rate that it orbits the Earth. This is why we always see the same side of the moon.

* The moon's phases are caused by the changing angles of the sun's light as the moon orbits the Earth. The moon doesn't produce its own light; it reflects the sun's light. As the moon orbits, we see different amounts of the illuminated side, leading to the phases we see.

* The lunar cycle, or the time it takes for the moon to go through all its phases, is approximately 29.5 days, not 28. This slight difference is why the phases appear to shift a bit every month.

Here's a helpful analogy: Imagine holding a ball and shining a flashlight on it. As you rotate the ball, only a portion of it is illuminated by the light. This is similar to how the moon's phases work.

Let me know if you have any more questions!