First Quarter Vs Third Quarter Moon – find more about this
When we look up at the moon, it appears to have been cut in half. The left half is illuminated by sunlight, while the right side is dark.
This is called a first quarter moon. It’s 1/4 of the way through its cycle back to a new moon.
What’s the difference?
The first quarter and third quarter moons (also known as the half moons) happen when the Moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to Earth and the Sun. This means that the left side of the Moon is illuminated, while the right side of the Moon is in shadow.
During this time, the part of the Moon that is lighted starts to gradually thin. This is called the “waxing” phase.
What’s fun about the waxing phase is that you can see mountains and craters. It’s really fascinating to look at, especially if you have binoculars or a spotting scope.
The next phase, the last quarter, is a little less interesting. But it’s the last one to show up in a lunar cycle, and you can still see some of the nighttime world in this phase.
First Quarter Moon
First quarter moon occurs when half of the Moon’s disk is illuminated, and the other half is in shadow. The illumined part of the Moon looks like it has been cut in two, as observed by the naked eye from Earth.
During this phase, the Moon, Earth and Sun are all aligned in the sky at a right angle. This makes it easier to see the Moon and other celestial bodies.
The First Quarter Moon is also called a “half moon” because 50% of the Moon’s surface is illuminated by sunlight for a short period. This phase lasts for about three nights.
Third Quarter Moon
A third quarter moon (also called a half moon) is the last of the four key phases of the lunar cycle. It is when 50% of the Moon’s disc is illuminated on one side and in shadow on the other.
The lighted side of the Moon faces Earth, while the other side is in shadow. This is because the Moon is moving around Earth in a counterclockwise direction.
When it is full, it is at a right angle to the Sun and Earth in our sky. It also pulls in different directions from Earth.
It is also halfway through its orbital path around Earth, just a quarter away from making a complete circle. That’s why it is also called a “quarter.”
Last Quarter Moon
The last quarter moon (sometimes called the third quarter moon) happens once a month as the Moon completes the final quarter of its orbit around Earth. It rises about 12 AM and sets about 12 PM, almost instantaneously becoming a Waning Crescent.
The Moon, the Sun, and Earth are all at a right angle in space, so they look to us as though they are moving around each other on a counterclockwise path. That’s what makes the phases of the Moon different and a great way to study astronomy.
The Moon is divided into four primary and four intermediate phases. Each cycle of the phases takes 29.5 days average to complete.
The Moon is one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the sky, and its phases are an essential part of our understanding of the universe. The Moon’s phases change over a 29.5-day period, which is called a lunar month (synodic month).
When the Moon is in its first quarter phase, it appears to be ‘waxing’. This means that the sunlit part of the moon’s surface is increasing in size as it moves closer to a Full Moon.
What is the First Quarter Moon?
The First Quarter Moon is one of the primary phases of the Moon, along with the Full Moon and New Moon. It is also called the Half Moon because, during this phase, 50% of the Moon’s surface is illuminated by the Sun for a brief period.
The first quarter moon is a time of re-evaluation, and it is an opportune moment to take stock of your accomplishments and move forward with renewed energy. This is especially true if you are at a point in your life where you have been working hard to achieve something, but you feel that you have not achieved as much as you had hoped.
People born on the first quarter moon have a strong sense of determination and focus, which is what they need to get through the next phase in their lives. They are also great at pushing through obstacles and challenging themselves.
However, the first quarter moon is a phase that can also be a time of anxiety and fear, especially for those who are trying to find their place in the world. They might have many ideas for how they want to change their situation, but often they don’t have the confidence to try them out yet.
For these reasons, it is important to be careful if you are entering into a relationship during this phase. The first quarter moon can have a rebellious quality, and this can make it difficult to establish a solid foundation in your relationship.
When you are thinking about a relationship during the First Quarter Moon, it is best to be cautious and only pursue those who have a solid sense of self-worth and integrity. This will allow you to avoid being taken advantage of by those who are seeking to seduce you.
The First Quarter Moon is a great time to meditate and draw positive energy into your life. This can be used to attract strength, luck and vitality into your life, but it is important to keep in mind that this is a time of intense energy, so you should not overdo it!
What is the Third Quarter Moon?
The Third Quarter Moon is the last primary phase of the lunar cycle. It occurs when the Moon is three-quarters of the way around Earth’s orbit, and is also known as the waning crescent moon.
The Moon makes a cycle of eight phases over a period of 29.5 days, beginning with New Moon and ending with Full Moon. During this time, the Moon changes from dark to light and back again. It’s a great guide to our planet’s motion in its orbit around the sun.
As the moon moves across our sky, it seems to rise from the east and set to the west. This is because of the Earth’s rotation and the way it turns on its axis from west to east.
We can see the changing phase of the moon and other astronomical objects in the sky through binoculars or telescopes. These objects don’t really rise and set on the horizon but move in their respective orbits at different speeds, which is why they look to be rising and setting in the sky.
For example, during a New Moon phase, the night side of the Moon faces the Sun and rises with it. During the waning crescent and full moon phases, the day side of the Moon faces away from the Sun.
This difference in sides creates a series of shadow lines that divide our sky into day and night. These lines are referred to as the moon’s terminator, and they are always aligned at either first or last quarter on the moon. This can help us find the time of sunrise and sunset on the moon, depending on which side of the moon we are viewing from.
Another way we can use the terminator is to determine where the high and low tides are at any given time of the month, as the Moon is responsible for generating much of the ocean tides on Earth. This can be done using a simple tool called the Tidal Angle Chart.
If you want to learn more about the Moon’s changing phases, check out the following links. The link will take you to an article on each phase of the Moon, which includes information about when it occurs and what it means.
When is the First Quarter Moon?
The first quarter Moon occurs during the first half of the lunar month and lasts for three nights. It rises in the morning and sets in the evening, making for great astronomical viewing.
The First Quarter Moon is often called a “half moon” because it essentially has half of its surface illuminated by the Sun for a short period. This is the third phase of each moon cycle and happens during a time when the Moon is halfway through its orbit around Earth.
It is also sometimes referred to as the Full Moon or New Moon.
The Moon is visible during the day and night, and the illuminated side faces the sun and the dark side faces Earth. It is in the same part of the sky as the sun and rises and sets with it.
It is also visible in the nighttime sky against a starry background until it sets below the western horizon at midnight, leaving the sky extremely dark. The Full Moon is the brightest and largest moon that can be seen during the nighttime sky.
This is an important phase of the moon’s monthly journey, as it completes one rotation in its orbit. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is known as the “right hand half moon,” and in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the “left hand half moon.”
There are eight phases of the moon cycle. The four primary phases (New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Last Quarter) happen at a specific moment in time while the four intermediate phases (Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous, and Waning Crescent) occur over a longer period of time.
Because the Moon’s orbit is not perfectly circular, its distance from Earth and speed in orbit change throughout the month. However, its rate of rotation around its own axis stays the same.
The Moon’s position in the sky causes ocean tides, which are primarily driven by the Moon’s gravity. The first and third quarters are neaps, meaning they have the smallest difference between high and low tides.
There are two ways to determine the exact date and time of a Moon phase: by using the local time zone in your area or by using the SKYCAL database. The local time zone uses your location and the Moon’s rising/setting times to calculate when the phases will occur in your region.
When is the Third Quarter Moon?
The Moon is a rotating object in the sky that moves from east to west. Because of this, the moonrises and sets at different times, so we don’t always see it in the same place.
The astronomers divide the Moon’s cycle into four primary phases (New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Last Quarter) and three secondary phases (Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, and Waning Crescent). All of these stages show us how much the half of the Moon that is lighted is changing each night.
New Moon – This phase starts off as a completely dark disk of the Moon. Then, the Moon gradually begins to glow. The amount of illumination changes from 0 percent (New Moon) to 50 percent (First Quarter) to 100 percent (Full Moon).
Second Quarter – The Moon is still a crescent but the illuminated part is increasing. As the Moon continues to grow, it will become brighter and the illuminated part will start to appear more like a thin crescent on the left side of the Moon. This is called waxing, which means ‘growing larger.’
Third Quarter – This phase happens when the Moon has completed one complete orbit around the Earth. At this stage, it is nearly in a straight line with the Earth and Sun as seen from space looking down on the Earth from a position above the horizon.
This stage got its name because at this point, the Moon has traveled about 3/4 of the way through its orbit. It also has just one more revolution left before it completes its cycle.
Fourth Quarter – The Moon is now in the opposite direction from the Sun as seen from the horizon and has moved to a position near the center of the sky. This stage is sometimes called Waning Crescent because it shows that the illuminated half of the Moon has decreased in brightness.
This is the period where all negative influences from this lunar cycle will be released. This can be an important time to set boundaries, reevaluate your goals, and to consciously let go of anything that no longer serves you.
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