Here's a breakdown of the lunar phases:

1. New Moon: The moon is invisible to us because it's between the Earth and the Sun.

2. Waxing Crescent: A sliver of the moon becomes visible, growing larger each night.

3. First Quarter: Half of the moon is illuminated.

4. Waxing Gibbous: More than half of the moon is illuminated, getting larger until...

5. Full Moon: The entire face of the moon is illuminated.

6. Waning Gibbous: The illuminated portion of the moon starts shrinking after the full moon.

7. Last Quarter: Half of the moon is illuminated again.

8. Waning Crescent: The remaining illuminated portion of the moon continues to shrink until it disappears, returning to the New Moon phase.