The lunar phases occur in a cycle that lasts about 29.5 days, known as a lunar month. The phases, in order, are as follows:
- New Moon: The moon is located between the Earth and the Sun, making it invisible from Earth.
- Waxing Crescent: A small sliver of the moon begins to be illuminated, and it appears as a crescent shape.
- First Quarter: Half of the moon is illuminated, and it appears as a half-circle.
- Waxing Gibbous: More than half of the moon is illuminated and appears bulging or gibbous.
- Full Moon: The entire face of the moon is illuminated, making it fully visible.
- Waning Gibbous: After the full moon, the illumination begins to decrease, but more than half is still visible.
- Last Quarter (or Third Quarter): Half of the moon is illuminated again, but this time the opposite half is lit compared to the First Quarter.
- Waning Crescent: A small sliver of the moon is illuminated again, decreasing in size as it approaches the New Moon.
After the Waning Crescent, the cycle repeats with the New Moon.
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