Moon Phases

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What is the Last Quarter Moon?

Back

The Last Quarter Moon, also known as the Third Quarter Moon, is the phase of the moon when half of it is illuminated and half is in shadow, appearing as a half-circle in the sky.

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What is a Full Moon?

Back

A Full Moon is the phase of the moon when it is fully illuminated by the sun, appearing as a complete circle in the sky.

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What side of the moon do we see from Earth?

Back

We see the same side of the moon from Earth at all times due to synchronous rotation.

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What causes the phases of the moon?

Back

The phases of the moon are caused by the moon's movement around Earth, which changes the angle of sunlight that illuminates the moon.

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What is a moon phase?

Back

A moon phase is the appearance of the moon as seen from Earth, which changes in a cycle that lasts about a month.

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What is a New Moon?

Back

A New Moon is the phase of the moon when it is not visible from Earth because the illuminated side is facing away from us.

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What is a First Quarter Moon?

Back

A First Quarter Moon is the phase of the moon when half of it is illuminated and half is in shadow, appearing as a half-circle, but the illuminated side is on the right.

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How long does it take for the moon to go through all its phases?

Back

It takes about 29.5 days for the moon to complete a full cycle of phases.

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What is a Waning Crescent Moon?

Back

A Waning Crescent Moon is the phase of the moon that occurs after the Last Quarter, where a small sliver of the moon is illuminated on the left side.

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What is a Waxing Gibbous Moon?

Back

A Waxing Gibbous Moon is the phase of the moon that occurs after the First Quarter, where more than half of the moon is illuminated but it is not yet full.