Many people spend countless hours gazing at Earth’s beautiful moon as it quietly sits aglow in the twinkling night sky. Children and adults alike often find themselves curious about the differences in the way that the moon appears throughout each month or lunar cycle. This article offers a quick reference for those who need a little help with recognizing the phases of the moon.
Important Lunar Terms: Waxing and Waning
The term “waxing” means that an increasing area of the moon is becoming bright. (The bright area will appear on the right side.) Waxing continues until the moon becomes full and then it begins to wane.
The term “waning” means that the moon begins to show a decreasing bright area after being full. (The bright area is now on the left.) Then the process starts all over again.
New Moon (Phase One)
The moon goes through eight phases over the course of each lunar cycle (or month). The first phase is referred to as the new moon. It is barely visible at this time because the sun is not lighting up the part of the moon that is facing the Earth.
Waxing Crescent (Phase Two)
A waxing crescent moon shows a small part of the surface of the moon as bright. This is the classic version of the moon that is usually used in story books and poems.
First Quarter (Phase Three)
The first quarter moon is also referred to as a half moon. Don't let the use of the word 'quarter' confuse you. The sun is lighting up half of the moon at this point. One quarter of the lunar cycle has already occurred once you can see the half moon.
Waxing Gibbous (Phase Four)
Gibbous is a rather funny word that simply means that more than half, but less than the entire moon is lit up. Remember the waxing phases of the moon appears bright on the right side and it is during this time that the area of brightness is slowly getting bigger.
Full Moon (Phase Five)
The entire moon is being lit up by the sun during the full moon phase. This marks the beginning of the second half of the lunar cycle. A full moon is easy to spot because it appears as perfectly round. It is also quite mystical looking and illuminates the night sky!
Waning Gibbous (Phase Six)
The area of the moon that is being lit up by the sun now begins to slowly get smaller. This means that the moon has begun to wane. Again, gibbous means that more than half but less than the entire moon is lit up. The bright area is now evident on the left side.
Last Quarter (Phase Seven)
The last quarter moon also shows half of the moon as lit up (similar to the third phase). By this point three-quarters of the lunar cycle has already occurred. The part of the moon that is visibly bright is slowly getting smaller.
Waning Crescent (Phase Eight)
This is the final phase that the moon undergoes. A small part of the moon is being lit up and the lunar cycle is nearing completion. The next cycle is all set to begin. Earth's moon is a fascinating part of this wondrous universe! (Click on the images below for an enlarged view.)
Earth's moon is a marvelous creation and is quite intriguing for many reasons. The lunar cycle consists of eight phases. Each phase has unique characteristics as the moon appears to undergo changes in shape and size. Moon study and observation is indeed intriguing!
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