Moon Phases and Motion
Why the Moon changes shape, how long a cycle takes and what you see from each hemisphere.
- New MoonAt new Moon the Moon is in the same part of the sky as the Sun, and the side facing Earth is dark.
- Waxing Crescent MoonA thin silver curve, low after sunset.
- First Quarter MoonHalf of the Moon's disk is bright, yet the name says quarter.
- Waxing Gibbous MoonA waxing gibbous Moon is more than half lit and growing toward full.
- Full MoonThe full Moon is the Moon facing the Sun's opposite side of the sky.
- Waning Gibbous MoonA waning gibbous Moon is more than half lit and shrinking.
- Last Quarter MoonAt last quarter the Moon shows half its disk lit, and the lit part is shrinking.
- Waning Crescent MoonThe waning crescent is the last phase before New Moon, a thin curve of light that keeps shrinking.
- Why We See the Same Face of the MoonThe Moon does rotate, but only once for each trip around Earth, so one side always points our way.