Lunar Phases

 

What Are Lunar Phases?

Our Moon doesn't shine, it reflects. Just like daytime here on Earth, sunlight illuminates the Moon.

We just can't always see it.

When sunlight hits off the Moon's far side — the side we can't see without from Earth the aid of a spacecraft — it is called a new Moon.

When sunlight reflects off the near side, we call it a full Moon.

The rest of the month we see parts of the daytime side of the Moon, or phases. These eight phases are, in order, new Moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full Moon, waning gibbous, third quarter and waning crescent. The cycle repeats once a month (every 29.5 days).



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