Here's why:
* Moon's Orbit: The moon orbits the Earth in the same direction that the Earth rotates.
* Lunar Phases: The phases of the moon are determined by the position of the sun, Earth, and moon.
* Waning Gibbous: As the moon transitions from full to new, it appears in the sky as a waning gibbous. This means the illuminated portion is decreasing.
* Sunrise Visibility: During this phase, the waning gibbous moon is still relatively high in the sky during the early morning hours and sets after the sun rises.
Therefore, the moon visible on the eastern horizon just before sunrise is likely a waning gibbous moon.
