Moon Phases

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What is a New Moon?

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The New Moon is the phase of the Moon when it is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, making it invisible from Earth.

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What is a Full Moon?

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The Full Moon is the phase when the entire face of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun, making it fully visible from Earth.

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What is a 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 a 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, occurring about three weeks after the New Moon.

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What is a Waxing Gibbous Moon?

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The Waxing Gibbous Moon is the phase where more than half of the Moon is illuminated but it is not yet full, occurring between the First Quarter and Full Moon.

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What is a Waning Gibbous Moon?

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The Waning Gibbous Moon is the phase after the Full Moon when the illumination is decreasing, but more than half of the Moon is still visible.

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What is a Waxing Crescent Moon?

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The Waxing Crescent Moon is the phase shortly after the New Moon when a small sliver of the Moon begins to be illuminated.

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What is a Waning Crescent Moon?

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The Waning Crescent Moon is the phase just before the New Moon when a small sliver of the Moon is still visible, decreasing in illumination.

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What is the lunar cycle?

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The lunar cycle is the sequence of phases the Moon goes through, taking about 29.5 days to complete.

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How does the position of the Moon affect its phases?

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The Moon's phases are determined by its position relative to the Earth and the Sun, affecting how much of its surface is illuminated.