The Importance of Each Phase of the Moon

Phases of the Lunar Cycle

• The movement of the moon occurs in five main phases: the new moon, the first quarter, the full moon and the last quarter, followed by a new moon to restart the cycle. The moon is referred to as waxing when it is approaching a full moon and waning when it is approaching a new moon, the phase in which the moon is not visible on earth. The crescent moon is seen as a sliver and occurs directly before and after the new moon. The gibbous moon appears as an almost-full moon and occurs before and after the full moon.

Geometry of the Phases

• The phases result from reflected sunlight and the moon's position relative to Earth. When the moon is closest to the sun and fully between the sun and Earth, terrestrial observers cannot see the sunlit half of the moon, resulting in what's known as a new moon. By contrast, when Earth moves directly between the sun and moon, the sunlit half of the moon is completely visible to observers on the earth. As the moon orbits the earth, more or less of the sunlit side of the moon is visible.

Beliefs

• American Indian, European, African and Asian cultures have all placed great importance on the phases of the moon. The moon has significance for agricultural practices in many societies. Many cultures, including Chinese and Native American, refer to the "harvest moon" -- that is, the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox -- as a sacred time in their annual cycles of food production. The Chinese celebrate the Autumn Moon festival by gathering family and making "moon cakes." The moon is also purported to have astrological effects on individuals' personalities and fortunes.

Health Effects

• The Greek philosopher Aristotle argued that people with certain mental weaknesses were susceptible to experiencing insanity during the full moon. In modern times, data have been produced showing stock returns are larger during the new moon than the full moon. This phenomenon may not be the result of a biological connection between lunar cycles and the human brain. Although many claims are made that emergency rooms and psychiatric hospitals have more admissions during the full moon, no scientific data has yet been producing showing a direct connection between the moon and physical and psychological health.