Eight Phases of the Moon

Eight separate phases are recognized during the lunar cycle, and each of them can be enjoyed
from the comfort of your own front porch.

New Moon
When the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun the
side that is being lit is facing the Sun. We see its dark
side, which means we are unable to see (or can barely
detect) the Moon in the night sky. This is called the
"new moon cycle" and is considered the beginning of
the Moon's phases.

Waxing Crescent Moon

The Moon travels eastward in the sky, and a few
days after the new moon we can see a slight
edge, or crescent, of the Moon lit by the Sun.
The common term for this phase is "waxing
crescent." Waxing means it is growing larger or
fuller.

First Quarter Moon

The first quarter moon is the term used to describe
a waxing moon that is exactly half-lit. The Moon is
now one fourth of the way through its lunar cycle.

Waxing Gibbous Moon

When a larger portion of the moon becomes
illuminated, it is called a "gibbous moon."
 Full Moon
At the full moon, the Moon's face is completely
bright and we see an entire circle in the sky.
During this part of the cycle, the full moon rises
at almost the very same time the sun is setting.

Waning Gibbous Moon

The light on the Moon begins to wane, or grow
thinner, and we once again see the gibbous-
shaped moon. In this case, it is referred to as
a "waning gibbous."

Third Quarter Moon

The third quarter moon phase is when the
Moon is once again half-lit. However, this
time the left side of the Moon is illuminated
instead of the right as it was at first quarter.
The moon is now three fourths of the way
through its cycle.

Waning Crescent
The last phase of the lunar cycle is the
waning crescent. The Moon appears as a
sliver in the sky before it becomes dark
again.