Moon Phases

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What are the phases of the moon?

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The phases of the moon are the different appearances of the moon as seen from Earth, which change in a cycle due to the moon's orbit around Earth.

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What is a New Moon?

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A New Moon is the phase when the moon is between the Earth and the Sun, and its illuminated side is facing away from Earth, making it invisible to us.

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What is a Full Moon?

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A Full Moon occurs when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, and the entire illuminated side of the moon is visible from Earth.

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What does 'waxing' mean in relation to moon phases?

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Waxing means that the visible portion of the moon is increasing, moving from New Moon to Full Moon.

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What does 'waning' mean in relation to moon phases?

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Waning means that the visible portion of the moon is decreasing, moving from Full Moon to New Moon.

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What is the First Quarter Moon?

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The First Quarter Moon is the phase where half of the moon is illuminated and visible from Earth, occurring about a week after the New Moon.

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What is the Third Quarter Moon?

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The Third Quarter Moon is the phase where the opposite half of the moon is illuminated compared to the First Quarter, also known as the Last Quarter.

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What is a Waxing Gibbous Moon?

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A Waxing Gibbous Moon is the phase after the First Quarter when more than half of the moon is illuminated but not yet full.

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What is a Waning Gibbous Moon?

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A Waning Gibbous Moon is the phase after a Full Moon when the illumination is decreasing but more than half of the moon is still visible.

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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 about 29.5 days for the moon to complete one full cycle of phases, known as a lunar month.