Looking up tonight is sure to be an impressive sight, with a full harvest moon signalling summer’s near end surrounded by reddish orange lights. Kevin Lewis of Johns Hopkins University says the color is due to dust and aerosols in the atmosphere reflecting light reaching the moon’s surface. First Quarter Moon Tonight, as it reaches…
The moon’s four main phases – new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter – can occur at slightly different times and locations on Earth. During these primary phases, the fraction of Moon that is illuminated gradually changes; two intermediate phases – crescent and gibbous – appear between these principal ones. First Quarter Moon…
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…
During its orbit of Earth, the Moon goes through different appearance phases. These phases are caused by the motion of the moon with respect to the sun. The phases complete a cycle once every 29.5 days, or about once per month. This cycle includes eight distinct phases. New Moon The Moon is in orbit around…
The moon changes its appearance each month based on its position in relation to the Sun and Earth. Throughout the cycle the Moon goes from being a complete shadow to fully illuminated. This is called a phase. Today the Moon is in a Waning Crescent phase. This phase is best viewed just before sunrise in…
As with any astrology chart, the answer to the question, “what is the moon phase today?” isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. In astronomy, the Moon’s cycle is divided into four primary phases. Astrologers also add two crescent and two gibbous phases as transitional phases between the primary phases. First Quarter Moon The First Quarter…
When the moon cycles around the Earth every 29.5 days, we see a different portion of it illuminated from our line of sight. This is called the lunar cycle and the phases we observe are known as new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter. Each phase has a specific spiritual meaning. For instance,…
A quarter moon is one of the four main lunar phases that you can observe, and it occurs between a new moon and a full moon. During a quarter moon, half of the moon appears lighted and the other half is in shadow. The lighted area of the moon gets smaller and smaller each day…
The quarter moon is a special astronomical phase of the Moon where the left half of its face appears illuminated from Earth. This phase is called the first quarter moon in the Northern Hemisphere and the third quarter moon in the Southern Hemisphere. This is a time to focus on your goals and start making…
