You’ll find a waning crescent moon in the east before sunrise. It’s waning toward new moon, when the moon will be between the Earth and sun.

The moon reaches its last quarter phase on August 11, 2020, at 04:44 UTC.

The waning gibbous moon falls between full and last quarter. See it best from late night through early morning.

August’s full moon is at 03:58 UTC on August 3, but it will look full before and after that date. What makes the moon look full?

A waxing gibbous moon appears more than half lighted, but less than full. It rises before sundown and sets somewhere between midnight and dawn.

Many people report seeing earthshine on a waxing crescent moon. That’s when the darkened portion of the crescent glows dimly with light reflected from Earth.

Half the moon always faces us. And half the moon is always lit by the sun. But, in the language of astronomers, there are no ‘half moons.’