The moon cycles through a series of phases as it orbits Earth. These phases change our view of the illuminated portion of the moon based on its position in relation to Earth and the Sun.
The lunar cycle takes about 29-and-a-half days to complete. The first phase is new Moon, then comes a waxing crescent, a waxing gibbous, a last quarter and then a full moon.
New Moon
Throughout its journey around Earth, the Moon goes through different appearance phases. These changes occur because the Earth, Sun and Moon are constantly moving across the sky.
When viewed from Earth, a portion of the moon’s surface appears illuminated in each phase. During the waxing crescent phase, for example, the moon’s halo of light appears to grow.
The waxing crescent phase is best viewed in the early morning hours, before sunrise. This is also a good time to view the moon’s craters and mountains as they cast long shadows.
This is a time to plant seeds, to set intentions for a new project or dream big. This is the time when unseen ideas swell in the fertile dark of the Moon, to begin the growth process.
People born during this phase are idealists who want to see their dreams come true. They are naturally communicators who share their beliefs and their knowledge with others. They are also very magnetic and can be easily influenced by their own thoughts and actions.
First Quarter
The First Quarter of the moon phase is the third phase of the lunar cycle. It is also known as the Half Moon because 50% of the surface of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun for a brief period.
This is a time of action, expression, growth, and breaking away from old patterns. You are likely to encounter some unexpected challenges that will test your resolve.
You can be tempted to let these obstacles stop you in your tracks, but it is important to recognize that you are capable of taking action to change your situation. You might have to do it through trial and error, but you will succeed.
People born on the First Quarter moon are usually very strong-willed and have a high level of confidence. They are not afraid to take risks in their personal or professional lives, and they don’t give up on anything until they have tried everything possible.
They know that people will not always agree with them, but they do their best to work through any issues and find solutions for themselves and those around them. They are also skilled at recognizing when someone is trying to take advantage of them, and they will always do their best to avoid that behavior.
Full Moon
During its orbit around Earth, the Moon undergoes eight phases. These are new, first quarter, full, last quarter, waxing crescent, waxing gibbous and waning gibbous.
Each phase is different from the next, depending on how much of the lunar surface is illuminated by the Sun. The amount of illuminated surface increases as the Moon waxes and decreases as it wane.
The full moon is the most visible of all the lunar phases because it occurs when the Moon is directly opposite the Sun in its orbit around Earth. The Moon is highest in the sky at sunset, then sets about six hours later.
It’s a great time to plant seeds, set goals or start a project that you can see bringing forth fruit and development. Taking a trip to the garden or planting houseplant cuttings is also a good way to ground yourself and promote new growth during this period.
As a fun and informative way to demonstrate the moon phases, try this activity: Place a lamp with its shade removed in one end of a dark room, then sit in front of the lamp and hold a baseball between your head and the lamp. As you move the ball from right to left, it will go through all of the moon’s phases!
Last Quarter
The last quarter of the moon phase in the lunar cycle is known as the Waning Crescent. This is the time before the next New Moon, when half of the Moon’s disk appears lighted and the other half is in darkness.
The crescent phase is best viewed before sunrise in the western sky. During this time, the illuminated portion of the Moon will be shrinking each day until it’s gone.
At the beginning of this phase, the left side of the Moon is almost fully illuminated and the right side is in darkness. Then, the lit area will continue to get smaller and smaller until it becomes a thin crescent on the left.
This is a great time to see the Moon’s surface and the many craters and mountains on it. You can also catch a glimpse of the Moon’s shadow, which will appear long and dark along the edge of the illuminated portion.
The Last Quarter is traditionally associated with ‘letting go’, and is the perfect time to release any toxic relationships from your life. It’s also a good time to take closing action, follow-up and complete what you started at the New Moon.
Waxing Crescent
In the day or so after every new moon, a slim smile of a crescent moon – a waxing crescent – appears in the west shortly after sunset. It quickly follows the sun below the western horizon, just as all sky objects do in Earth’s spinning under the stars.
This moon phase is a time to focus on your goals and self-improvement. It’s a great time to set new intentions for the coming month and to really ramp up your efforts to drive towards your goals, whether it’s completing a home improvement project you’ve been putting off or hitting your targets at work.
As a child born under the waxing crescent phase, you are adventurous, joyous and full of curiosity. However, you are also timid and cautious when it comes to taking risks and trying new things.
Rather than staying comfortable in your comfort zone, embrace discomfort and challenge yourself to take risks to grow and develop into a more fully actualized person. It’s the only way you’ll ever become a true leader in your life!
The Waxing Crescent phase is the perfect opportunity to make big changes in your life, whether that’s changing up your career path, getting serious about a hobby or starting an entirely new adventure. Just be sure to give yourself enough time and space to do so, as it’s a major change for you.
Waxing Gibbous
The waxing gibbous phase is a stage of the lunar cycle when more of the Moon’s Earth-facing surface appears illuminated by the Sun. This phase is visible from most parts of the world after sunset.
It continues until the Full Moon, when it appears fully lit. It then transitions to a waning gibbous phase. This phase begins when less of the Earth-facing side is illuminated and continues to decrease (“wanes”) in size from night to night until it reaches the last quarter phase (or half moon).
This Moon phase is a time for you to assess what your goals are nearing completion, but not yet reaching their final fruition. This is a good time for you to put in the hard work that’s needed before you can start enjoying the fruits of your labor.
This moon phase can also be a great time for you to cultivate your spiritual practice and refine the way you see the world around you. You might start reading a new book or going deep in your meditation practice, both of which will help you grow and develop as a person.
Waning Waning
Waxing and waning are two of the primary moon phases in the cycle. These are the opposite points of a lunar cycle, which means that between a new moon and a full moon the Moon waxes (grows) and wanes (disappears).
When the moon is in the waning phase, it is no longer visible at sunset, and its light gradually decreases until it reaches the waning crescent phase. It is not as bright or mysterious as the new moon or the full moon, but it is a powerful time for spiritual rebuilding and downsizing.
It is also a great time for you to evaluate old habits, relationships, and toxicity in your life. Psychic and medium Natalie Kuna advises that you use this time to reflect on your current situation.
This phase also makes it easy to spot if the Moon is waxing or waning. As the moon moves from full to waning, you can easily distinguish it by looking for the part of the moon in shadow.
The dotted line from the moon to the earth represents your line of sight when you see the moon. For the waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent phases you have to mentally turn yourself upside down when you see the moon to “see” that the illuminated portion is on your left side.