Moon's Phases and Lunar Cycle

The Moon's Phases

• The moon doesn't emit light itself; the moonlight we see is actually the sun's light reflected off the lunar surface.
• The moon's transformation from new moon to full moon and back again is due to the lunar cycle or phases of the moon.

New Moon

• The new moon phase occurs when the moon is exactly in the middle of the earth and the sun, making it nearly invisible in the night sky.
• The side of the moon facing the earth does not receive sunlight during this phase.

Waxing Phase

• The waxing phase begins after the new moon, when the moon moves ahead in its orbit and some sunlight starts to fall on its surface.
• The moon appears in a crescent shape during the waxing crescent phase.
• As the moon continues its orbital journey, the sun's reflection increases on its surface, and in about a week, we can see its half-lit portion, known as the first quarter.

Waxing Gibbous

• After the first quarter, the moon is more than half full and still increasing its illuminated surface, entering the waxing gibbous phase.

Full Moon

• In about two weeks after the new moon, the moon reaches behind the earth with respect to the sun, and the full side of the moon facing the earth receives sunlight, making it fully visible.

Waning Stage

• The waning stage begins after the full moon, where the moon starts its return journey to the new moon phase.
• The waning gibbous phase occurs when the light begins to decrease on the moon's surface.
• The last quarter phase occurs when the moon is once again half-illuminated, but the lit area visible is on the decline.
• The waning crescent phase occurs when the moon shrinks back to a crescent that's less than half full.

Lunar Cycle

• The moon completes its journey in about 29.5 days and comes back between the earth and sun to its new moon phase, marking the completion of the lunar cycle.
• The terms "waxing" and "waning" describe the moon's apparent growth and shrinkage, respectively.
• The word "gibbous" comes from the Latin for "hump" and has been used for centuries to describe rounded or convex shapes.

The Moon's Phases

• Moonlight is actually the sun's light reflected off the lunar surface, as the moon doesn't emit light itself.

New Moon

• Occurs when the moon is exactly between the earth and sun, making it nearly invisible in the night sky.
• The side of the moon facing the earth does not receive sunlight during this phase.

Waxing Phase

• Begins after the new moon, when the moon moves ahead in its orbit and some sunlight starts to fall on its surface.
• The moon appears in a crescent shape during the waxing crescent phase.
• The first quarter occurs when the moon's half-lit portion is visible, approximately a week after the new moon.

Waxing Gibbous

• The moon is more than half full and still increasing its illuminated surface.
• The sun's reflection increases on the moon's surface during this phase.

Full Moon

• Occurs when the moon reaches behind the earth with respect to the sun, and the full side of the moon facing the earth receives sunlight.
• The full moon is fully visible in the night sky.

Waning Stage

• Begins after the full moon, where the moon starts its return journey to the new moon phase.
• The waning gibbous phase occurs when the light begins to decrease on the moon's surface.
• The last quarter phase occurs when the moon is once again half-illuminated, but the lit area visible is on the decline.
• The waning crescent phase occurs when the moon shrinks back to a crescent that's less than half full.

Lunar Cycle

• The moon completes its journey in about 29.5 days.
• The terms "waxing" and "waning" describe the moon's apparent growth and shrinkage, respectively.
• The word "gibbous" comes from the Latin for "hump" and has been used for centuries to describe rounded or convex shapes.