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 progress toward them. It can also be a time to set the record straight with a loved one or clear out any old issues that may be weighing you down.
First Quarter Moon
The first quarter moon occurs in the lunar cycle between new and full moon. Its name is derived from the fact that it looks like half of the moon, illuminated by sunlight and the other half in shadow.
This phase is the dividing line between the crescent and gibbous phases. The crescent is a visible curve that’s created by the light and the edge of the moon moving together, while the gibbous is an illumined area that’s not moving with the light.
You can see this separating line in the night sky when you look at it through a telescope or binoculars. It’s a great way to take in the craters and mountains on the surface of the moon that we can’t see otherwise.
The first quarter moon phase is a time for you to consider your goals and move forward with them. You need to be careful not to let doubts and fears hold you back. This will allow you to be successful in the future.
Second Quarter Moon
The Second Quarter Moon occurs at the end of a lunar month. It got its name because this is the point in a lunar orbit where the Moon has traveled just one quarter of the way around Earth.
During this phase, you will see half of the Moon’s surface lighted and the other half in darkness. The lighted area slowly shrinks, and eventually the entire Moon’s disk will be in darkness.
It is usually visible to the naked eye in the southern sky during early evenings.
A waxing crescent, sometimes called the rebuilding phase, begins at this stage and signifies a time to set new intentions for the coming month and make changes to improve your life.
It can also be a good time to observe Earthshine, when sunlight reflected from the Earth gives the dark areas of the Moon a faint glow. The crescent phases are typically the most difficult to spot, but are a rewarding opportunity for observing the Moon in the night sky.
Third Quarter Moon
The third quarter moon is one-quarter of the way through a lunar cycle. It occurs between the waning gibbous and waning crescent phases.
In this phase, the disk of the Moon is half-lit by direct sunlight. Compared to the first quarter, which is fully lit, the disc of the moon appears smaller and thinner.
While it’s not as bright as the full moon, it’s still a great time to check out the Moon. It can be seen rising around sunset, up high in the sky after midnight and visible to the south after sunrise.
Astronomers have broken the lunar cycle into four primary phases (New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Last Quarter) as well as four secondary phases (Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous, and Waning Crescent). During each of these phases, the Moon rises and sets at a specific moment.
Fourth Quarter Moon
The quarter moon is one of the four principal phases that occur around the lunar cycle. The first phase is a New Moon, the next is a First Quarter Moon and the last is a Full Moon.
Each lunar phase has its own unique characteristics, and they are called phases because of the way the Sun, Earth and Moon look in the sky during them. The Moon’s ecliptic longitude (the direction the Moon is viewed from Earth) is at different angles to the Sun at each phase.
Because the Sun, Earth and Moon are in different positions at each phase of the moon, these celestial bodies affect tides in the oceans. These changes are what cause the various phases of the moon to appear in the sky.