Eight Phases of the Moon

New Moon

• When the moon is between the Earth and sun, its lit side faces away from the Earth. The moon appears completely dark.

Waxing Crescent

• More of the moon's Earth-facing side becomes lit in the nights following the new moon, appearing as a thin crescent that grows from night to night. The astronomical term is "waxing" when the moon becomes brighter.

First Quarter

• The moon's first quarter comes between its waxing crescent and waxing gibbous phases. At this stage, you see only the right half of the moon's face lit.

Waxing Gibbous

• In the nights after the first quarter, most of the moon is lit. When the moon is nearly but not completely full, and fuller than a quarter, astronomers call that "gibbous."

Full Moon

• When the Earth lies between the moon and the sun, the sun fully lights up the moon's Earth-facing side. The other side of the moon stays completely dark, but you can't see that side.

Waning Gibbous

• In the nights immediately following a full moon, the sun lights less of the moon's Earth-facing side. The moon becomes slowly dimmer. Astronomers call the dimming process "waning."

Third Quarter

• When you see only the left half of the moon's face lit, it's in its third quarter. This phase comes midway between the full moon and new moon.

Waning Crescent

• In the last phase before the new moon, you can see it as a crescent that becomes thinner with each passing night. It moves back to the point between the Earth and the sun, repeating the monthly cycle of phases.