Moon phases explained

The eight Moon phases

The following information is adapted for the southern hemisphere from https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/moon-phases/en/ 

🌑 New: We cannot see the Moon when it is a new moon.

🌘 Waxing Crescent: In the Southern Hemisphere, we see the waxing crescent phase as a thin crescent of light on the left.

🌗 First Quarter: We see the first quarter phase as a half moon.

🌖 Waxing Gibbous: The waxing gibbous phase is between a half moon and full moon. Waxing means it is getting bigger.

🌕 Full: We can see the Moon completely illuminated during full moons.

🌔 Waning Gibbous: The waning gibbous phase is between a full moon and a half moon. Waning means it is getting smaller.

🌓 Third Quarter: We see the third quarter moon as a half moon, too. It is the opposite half as illuminated in the first quarter moon.

🌒 Waning Crescent: In the Southern Hemisphere, we see the waning crescent phase as a thin crescent of light on the right.

The Moon displays these eight phases one after the other as it moves through its cycle each month. It takes about 27.3 days for the Moon to orbit Earth. However, because of how sunlight hits the Moon, it takes about 29.5 days to go from one new moon to the next new moon.