Purple Raven
The Phases of the Moon
The Moon goes through different phases as it orbits around the Earth. The phases of the Moon refer to the appearance of the illuminated part of the Moon as seen from Earth. The Moon's phases are caused by its position relative to the Earth and the Sun.
There are four primary Moon phases: new moon, first quarter, full moon, and third quarter. These phases occur approximately once every 29.5 days.
New Moon: This is when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, and its illuminated side is facing away from Earth, so it appears invisible. This marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle.
Waxing Crescent: As the Moon moves away from the Sun, a thin crescent of light becomes visible on the right-hand side of the Moon, and this phase is called the waxing crescent.
First Quarter: At this phase, the Moon has completed a quarter of its orbit around the Earth, and half of the illuminated side is visible from Earth. This phase is also known as a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous: As the Moon continues to orbit around the Earth, the illuminated portion of the Moon continues to grow, and this phase is known as the waxing gibbous.
Full Moon: This is when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, and its fully illuminated face is visible from Earth. This is the most recognizable phase of the Moon.
Waning Gibbous: After the full moon, the illuminated portion of the Moon begins to shrink, and this phase is known as the waning gibbous.
Third Quarter: At this phase, the Moon has completed three-quarters of its orbit around the Earth, and half of the illuminated side is visible from Earth. This is also known as a half-moon.
Waning Crescent: As the Moon approaches the new moon phase, the illuminated portion of the Moon continues to shrink, and this phase is known as the waning crescent.
After the waning crescent, the Moon returns to the new moon phase, and the lunar cycle starts again.