1. New Moon:
* The Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun.
* We cannot see the Moon because the sunlit side faces away from us.
2. Waxing Crescent:
* The Moon is slightly visible as a thin crescent shape.
* The sunlit portion of the Moon is growing (waxing) larger.
3. First Quarter:
* Exactly half of the Moon's surface is illuminated and visible.
* The sunlit side is on the right side of the Moon from our perspective.
4. Waxing Gibbous:
* More than half of the Moon is illuminated.
* The sunlit portion continues to grow.
5. Full Moon:
* The entire Moon is illuminated and visible.
* The Moon is opposite the Sun in the sky.
6. Waning Gibbous:
* More than half of the Moon is illuminated.
* The sunlit portion is shrinking (waning).
7. Last Quarter:
* Exactly half of the Moon's surface is illuminated and visible.
* The sunlit side is on the left side of the Moon from our perspective.
8. Waning Crescent:
* The Moon is slightly visible as a thin crescent shape.
* The sunlit portion continues to shrink.
Cycle: The entire cycle of phases takes approximately 29.5 days to complete. This is also known as a synodic month.
