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.
The Moon is an astronomical body orbiting Earth. The faces of the Moon which are called "phases" are the result of the way the Sun lights the surface of the Moon as the Moon orbits the Earth. We can only see the Moon as a result of the Sun's light reflecting off of it. Therefore, the Moon doesn't produce any light on its own.
