Moon Phases

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What is a Full Moon?

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A Full Moon is the lunar phase when the Moon is fully illuminated as seen from Earth, occurring when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon.

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What is a Last Quarter Moon?

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A Last Quarter Moon is the lunar phase where half of the Moon is illuminated and half is in shadow, occurring when the Moon is three-quarters of the way through its orbit around Earth.

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What is a Waning Gibbous Moon?

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A Waning Gibbous Moon is the phase that occurs after a Full Moon, where more than half of the Moon is illuminated but decreasing in illumination.

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What is a Third Quarter Moon?

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A Third Quarter Moon, also known as the Last Quarter, is when the Moon is half illuminated and is three-quarters of the way through its lunar cycle.

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What is a Waning Crescent Moon?

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A Waning Crescent Moon is the phase that occurs just before a New Moon, where a small sliver of the Moon is illuminated and decreasing.

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What are the eight primary phases of the Moon?

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The eight primary phases of the Moon are New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, and Waning Crescent.

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How long does it take for the Moon to complete one full cycle of phases?

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It takes approximately 29.5 days for the Moon to complete one full cycle of phases, known as a lunar month.

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What is the difference between waxing and waning phases of the Moon?

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Waxing phases are when the illuminated portion of the Moon is increasing, while waning phases are when the illuminated portion is decreasing.

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What causes the different phases of the Moon?

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The different phases of the Moon are caused by the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, which affect how much of the Moon's surface is illuminated.

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What is a New Moon?

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A New Moon is the lunar phase when the Moon is not visible from Earth because it is positioned between the Earth and the Sun.