The Phases of the Moon

The moon goes through several distinct phases as it orbits the Earth. It begins with the New Moon, where the moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, making it nearly invisible from our perspective. As it moves, it enters the Waxing Crescent phase, where a sliver of the moon starts to be visible. This is followed by the First Quarter, where half of the moon is illuminated. The Waxing Gibbous phase occurs next, as the moon continues to grow more illuminated. The Full Moon follows, when the entire face of the moon is visible and bright in the night sky. Afterward, the moon begins to wane, entering the Waning Gibbous phase, where the light starts to decrease. The Last Quarter comes next, with half of the moon’s surface visible again, but the opposite side from the First Quarter. Finally, the Waning Crescent phase occurs, with only a small crescent of light visible before the cycle begins anew with the New Moon.