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When was it first realised that the lit portion of the moon always faces the sun, so moonlight must be reflected sunlight? (continued)

Eric Kvaalen
Les Essarts-le-Roi, France

Previous correspondents James Ladyman and Kelli Rudolf quote philosopher Parmenides as saying that the moon is a “night-shining, foreign light, wandering around the Earth”. But Parmenides also said, speaking of the moon’s size, that it was equal to the sun, for it is illuminated from it. This opinion is reported by historian Eusebius (see Praeparatio evangelica, Book 15). Eusebius reports that philosopher Thales and his followers also said that the moon…