The Moon has eight phases in a lunar month: four primary and four intermediate phases.

A Moon cycle, or a lunation, is the time the Moon travels through its lunar phases.

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NEW! Video About Moon Phases

We show you how Moon phases work in our new video:

How do Moon phases work? We explain what happens and show how the Moon’s shape and
moonrise times change over a lunar month.

How Do Moon Phases Work?

Half of the Moon’s surface is always illuminated by sunlight. As the Moon orbits Earth, it
changes how much of the lit-up side we can see.

The Moon: Our natural satellite

Moon Phases in Order

 The eight Moon phases of a lunar month are divided into four primary and four
intermediate (waxing and waning) Moon phases:

1. New Moon
2. Waxing Crescent Moon
3. First Quarter Moon
4. Waxing Gibbous Moon
5. Full Moon
6. Waning Gibbous Moon
7. Third Quarter Moon
8. Waning Crescent Moon

Primary Moon phases happen at a specific moment in time, while the time between these

moments are the intermediate Moon phases. The lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days, just under a
calendar month.

Lunar calendar: next Full Moon and New Moon phase

New Moon
 Moon phase: primary
 Moonrise: around sunrise | Moonset: around sunset

 Illumination: 0%
 Position in space: the Moon is between the Sun and Earth

If the Moon’s path crosses the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun (the ecliptic) while the Sun,
Moon, and Earth are aligned at New Moon, a solar eclipse happens somewhere in the world.
 New Moon: The Moon is between the Sun and Earth. Only the dark unlit side of the Moon is facing toward us.

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Waxing Crescent Moon

 Moon phase: intermediate
 Moonrise: morning | Moonset: afternoon

 Illumination: 0.1% to 49.9%
 Orientation: right half is lit in Northern Hemisphere,
left half is lit in Southern Hemisphere
 Position in space: moving from New Moon to First Quarter Moon

The Crescent phases can be a good time to see Earthshine, when sunlight reflected from Earth
gives the dark areas of the Moon a faint glow.

First Quarter Moon (Half Moon)

 Moon phase: primary
 Moonrise: around midday | Moonset: around midnight

 Illumination: 50%
 Orientation: right half is lit in Northern Hemisphere,
left half is lit in Southern Hemisphere
 Position in space: the Moon has gone one quarter of the way around Earth

Look for the First Quarter Moon in the blue afternoon sky.

First Quarter Moon: The Moon is 90 degrees from the Sun, and exactly half of the Moon’s surface facing us is
lit up.

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Waxing Gibbous Moon

 Moon phase: intermediate
 Moonrise: afternoon | Moonset: early morning

 Illumination: 50.1% to 99.9%
 Orientation: right half is lit in Northern Hemisphere,
left half is lit in Southern Hemisphere
 Position in space: moving from First Quarter to Full Moon

A couple of days into the Waxing Gibbous Moon phase, you can see the Golden Handle.
 Full Moon
 Moon phase: primary
 Moonrise: around sunset | Moonset: around sunrise

 Illumination: 100%
 Position in space: the Moon and the Sun are on opposite sides of Earth

If the Moon’s path crosses the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun (the ecliptic) while the Sun,
Earth, and Moon are aligned at Full Moon, a lunar eclipse happens on the night side of Earth.

Full Moon: The Moon and the Sun are on opposite sides of Earth, and the side facing us is completely lit up.

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Waning Gibbous Moon

 Moon phase: intermediate
 Moonrise: evening | Moonset: morning

 Illumination: 99.9% to 49.9%
 Orientation: left half is lit in Northern Hemisphere,
right half is lit in Southern Hemisphere
 Position in space: moving from Full Moon to Third Quarter Moon

The Moon can still look quite full a few days after Full Moon in the Waning Gibbous phase.

Third Quarter Moon (Half Moon)

 Moon phase: primary
 Moonrise: around midnight | Moonset: around midday

 Illumination: 50%
 Orientation: left half is lit in Northern Hemisphere,
right half is lit in Southern Hemisphere
 Position in space: the Moon has gone three quarters of the way on its orbit around Earth

The Third Quarter Moon begins the last quarter of the lunar cycle.

Third Quarter: The Moon has completed three quarters of its orbit around Earth, and exactly half of its
surface facing us is lit up.

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 Waning Crescent Moon
 Moon phase: intermediate
 Moonrise: early morning | Moonset: afternoon

 Illumination: 49.9% to 0.1%
 Orientation: left half is lit in Northern Hemisphere,
right half is lit in Southern Hemisphere
 Position in space: moving from Third Quarter to New Moon

The Crescent phases can be a good time to see Earthshine, when sunlight reflected from Earth
gives the dark areas of the Moon a faint glow.

Topics: Astronomy, Moon

Moon Phases In Your City

The Moon Phases
1. The Lunar Month
2. New Moon
3. Waxing Crescent Moon
4. First Quarter Moon
5. Waxing Gibbous Moon
6. Full Moon
7. Waning Gibbous Moon
8. Third Quarter Moon
9. Waning Crescent Moon

Moon Phase Chart

Moon phases visualized in real time, the past, or the future.

Moonrise & Moonset Times

The Moon
1. What Is a Supermoon?
2. The Moon Illusion
3. The Moon Phases
4. The Moon's Effect on Tides
5. Does the Moon Affect Humans?
6. What Is a Micro Moon?
7. How Can Full Moon Be in the Daytime?
8. Is a Blue Moon Blue?
9. The Moon's Orbit
10. The Far Side of the Moon
11. What Is a Black Moon?
12. What Are Moonbows?
13. Full Moon Names
14. Taking pictures of the Moon

Moon index