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phases of the Moon
phases of the Moon
Changes in the Moon’s appearance over the course of a month; result from the movement of the Moon in relation to the Sun, as seen from Earth.
See phases of the Moon in :
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new moon
The Moon lies directly between Earth and the Sun; it is not visible, as the Sun’s light is too brilliant.
new crescent
The Moon is visible in the early evening in the shape of a thin crescent.
first quarter
The visible face of the Moon grows increasingly bright; the lunar crescent gradually changes until it forms a semi-circle after one week.
waxing gibbous
As the Moon moves away from the Sun, its shadow gradually recedes.
full moon
The visible face of the Moon is completely illuminated by the Sun’s rays.
waning gibbous
As the Moon moves closer to the Sun, its shadow begins to obscure the Sun’s disk.
last quarter
The bright side gradually recedes until it becomes a half-moon.
old crescent
The Moon lies to the right of the Sun and appears in the sky at dawn in the form of a thin crescent.