Articles About Moon Phases (10)

The Moon Phases

The Moon has four primary phases and four intermediate phases during a lunar month. Here's all you need to know about each phase.

Illustration of the illuminated part of the Moon at the four primary Moon phases and during the four intermediate Moon phases as seen from the Northern Hemisphere.

What Is a Lunar Month?

A lunar month is the time it takes the Moon to pass through all of the Moon phases, usually measured from a New Moon the next New Moon.

Illustration of the Moon's position in space in relation to Earth and the Sun at New Moon.

The New Moon

When is the next New Moon? New Moon is when the Sun and Moon are aligned, with the Sun and Earth on opposite sides of the Moon.

Waxing Crescent Moon

The Waxing Crescent Moon phase starts after New Moon and lasts until half of the Waxing Moon's surface is illuminated at First Quarter Moon.

Underside of an airplane visible in front of a half Moon during the day with a blue sky in the background.

First Quarter Moon

The 1st Quarter Moon is a primary Moon phase when we can see exactly half of the Moon’s surface lit up. Which half appears lit up depends on where you are on Earth.

Waxing Gibbous Moon

The Waxing Gibbous Moon is an intermediate Moon phase that starts after the First Quarter Moon and lasts until the Full Moon.

The Full Moon

The third primary phase of the Moon is the Full Moon.

Waning Gibbous Moon

An intermediate Moon phase that starts after the Full Moon and lasts until half of the Moon’s face remains lit up at the Third Quarter Moon.

A Last Quarter Moon, also called Half Moon, where the left half of the Moon is lit up.

Third Quarter Moon

The Third or Last Quarter Moon is when the opposite half of the Moon is illuminated compared to the First Quarter.

Waning Crescent Moon

During the Waning Crescent Moon phase, the lit-up part of the Waning Moon shrinks from the Third Quarter Moon until it disappears from view at New Moon.