The Setup
* Sun: The Sun is always in the background, shining its light.
* Earth: The Earth is in the middle, rotating on its axis.
* Moon: The Moon is positioned on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. This means it's roughly 90 degrees away from the Sun in the sky.
What We See
* Illumination: We only see half of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. Since the Moon is opposite the Sun, we see the *right* half of the Moon illuminated (from our perspective in the Northern Hemisphere).
* Visibility: The Last Quarter Moon rises around midnight, reaches its highest point in the sky around dawn, and sets around noon.
Think of it Like this:
Imagine a clock.
* The Sun is at 12 o'clock (noon).
* The Earth is at the center.
* The Last Quarter Moon is at 6 o'clock (midnight).
Important Note: This is a simplified explanation. The exact positioning of the Sun, Moon, and Earth can vary slightly depending on the specific time of the Last Quarter Moon phase. However, the general arrangement described above remains the same.
