Moon Phases

Why does the moon seem to change its shape every night? Remember that the moon is a world in space – with a day side and a night side.

When you see the moon as a slim crescent – in the west after sunset – it’s a waxing moon. Is that Earth’s shadow on the moon? No, it’s the moon’s own shadow.

A waning crescent moon is sometimes called an old moon. It’s seen in the east before dawn.

In the few days after full moon, you’ll often see a waning gibbous moon in the west in early morning, floating against the pale blue sky.

A first quarter moon rises at noon and is high overhead at sunset. It sets around midnight.

A waxing gibbous moon appears high in the east at sunset. It’s more than half-lighted, but less than full.

A last quarter moon looks half-illuminated. It rises around midnight, appears at its highest in the sky at dawn, and sets around noon.

On the day of new moon, the moon rises when the sun rises. It sets when the sun sets. It crosses the sky with the sun during the day.