Phases of the Moon

New Moon- Occurs when the moon is positioned between the earth and sun. The three objects
are in apporximate allignment. The entire illuminated portion of the moon is on the back side of the moon, the half that we cannot see.



Waxing Crescent-After the new moon, the sunlit portion is increasing, but less than half.

First Quater- Occurs when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun.

So we are seeing exactly half of the moon iluminated and half in shadow.

Waxing Gibbous- After the first quarter, the sunlit portion is still increasing, but now it is more
than half.




Full Moon- Occurs when the earth, moon, and sun are in approximate alignment, just as the new moon, but the moon is on the opposite side of the earth, so the entire sunlit part of the moon is facing us. The shadowed portion is entirely hidden view.



Waning Gibbous- After the full moon, the light continually decreases.





Last Quater- Occurs when the moon is at a 90 degree angle with respect to the earth and sun. So

we are seeing exactly half of the moon illuminated and half in shadow.




Waning Crescent- Following the third quater is the waning crescent, which wanes until the light
is completely gone (a new moon).