The Moon is an interesting object of study for astronomers and amateurs, as well as a topic of study in many introductory astronomy classes. Learning about the phases of the Moon is an excellent skill to have, and will be useful for you for years to come!
Each lunar cycle, the Moon goes through six different phases: new, quarter, crescent, full, gibbous, and waning. It takes 29 days to go from new to full and back again.
Waxing Gibbous
A waxing gibbous moon is one that is getting progressively rounder, night after night. The word gibbous is sometimes used to describe a kitten’s belly, but usually it refers to the Moon.
A Waxing Gibbous Moon is the fourth phase of the moon and begins just after the First Quarter Moon. This phase ends six days before the Full Moon.
It symbolizes the final stages of a project, as well as the time when you see light from the end of the tunnel. It is the time for a final sprint and stretch to finish what you’ve started until the Full Moon so that you can enjoy the satisfaction of your work.
Waxing Crescent
When the Moon is in a Waxing Crescent phase, it is a crescent-shaped sliver of light that is a few days before the Full Moon. It is a great time for spiritual reflection, meditation, and visualization.
It is a good time to do waxing, drawing, attracting or growth spells.
The crescent is a sign that the Moon’s illumination is increasing, and it is also an excellent time to initiate new projects or plans.
This crescent is visible in the west shortly after sunset as the Moon rises in the east, but it is not always easy to see because of its close proximity to the sun in the sky. It is often accompanied by the planet Venus, which is brighter than the Sun and can be seen either as a morning or evening star.
Waxing Half Moon
The moon is in a Waxing Half Moon phase. This phase starts after the New Moon and is an intermediate phase that lasts until the First Quarter phase where half of the moon is illuminated by sunlight.
This phase can be seen in the west after the sun dips below the horizon at sunset. The Moon is close to the sun in the sky and mostly dark except for the right edge of the moon which becomes brighter as the days get closer to the First Quarter phase.
This is the time for finishing up projects or tasks that you are working on. It is also a good time to reflect on your progress.
Waning Gibbous
If you’re wondering when it is the moon phase today, it’s usually at noon in the northern hemisphere and at sunset in the southern hemisphere. The moon is positioned to receive sunlight from both the Earth and the Sun, so it will appear brightest from Earth during this time of day.
Each lunar cycle starts with a New Moon, then goes through the crescent, first quarter, and full moon phases. During each of these phases, the illuminated part of the Moon gradually decreases until less than one half is illuminated on any side.
Waning Crescent
The Moon is up in the sky all day long, rising before noon, transiting the meridian before sunset and setting in the west before midnight.
This phase is a good time to look for stars and planets. You may also see earthshine, a reflection of the light from our planet.
The waning crescent is the last phase before the new moon. It is a time of surrender and reflection, a chance to clean up your life and release negative energy.
Waning Half Moon
The Waning Half Moon is the first phase after a Full Moon where the illumination of the moon will decrease each day until it reaches 50%. This phase will happen until it reaches the Last Quarter of the cycle.
This phase will begin shortly after the New Moon, as the moon has just completed three quarters of its orbit around Earth (hence the name, Last Quarter). The moon will rise on the eastern horizon at night and transit the meridian at sunrise.