The phase of the Moon that occurs when Earth and the Sun lie on the same line is called a New Moon. During this phase, the side of the Moon that faces Earth is not lit by the Sun, making the Moon appear dark or invisible to observers on Earth. As the Moon orbits around the Earth, different portions of its illuminated side become visible, giving rise to the different phases of the Moon, including the Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, and finally the Waning Crescent before returning to the New Moon phase.