The moon over the sun

I’ve just finished reading the silmarilion for the first time (amazing btw) and I noticed a pattern that the moon always seems to have preference over the sun.

Telperion is the first to grow before laurelin, the moon is raised into the sky before the sun, the white tree of Gondor was descended from that made in the image of telperion, I think luthien (the most beautiful creature ever) is mentioned to resemble telperion (I think but I could be wrong).

What is the reason for this? I would have thought that the sun would hold greater importance over the moon?