Moon Phases

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What is a Full Moon?

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A Full Moon is the phase when the entire face of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun, making it appear round and bright in the night sky.

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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 the Earth, making it invisible to us.

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What is a Waxing Crescent?

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A Waxing Crescent is the phase after a New Moon when a small sliver of the Moon begins to be illuminated, appearing as a crescent shape.

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What is a Waning Crescent?

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A Waning Crescent is the phase after a Third Quarter when the illuminated part of the Moon is decreasing, appearing as a crescent shape.

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What is a First Quarter Moon?

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A First Quarter Moon is the phase when 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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A Third Quarter Moon is the phase when 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?

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A Waxing Gibbous is the phase when more than half of the Moon is illuminated and is growing towards a Full Moon.

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What is a Waning Gibbous?

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A Waning Gibbous is the phase after a Full Moon when the illuminated part of the Moon is decreasing but still more than half.

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How long does it take for the Moon to complete all its phases?

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It takes about 29.5 days for the Moon to complete all its phases, known as a lunar month.

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What causes the Moon phases?

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