![]() ![]() The idiom "Once in a blue moon" refers to something that does not happen often (like a blue moon). A second full moon in one calendar month is usually called a "blue moon" and this occurs approximately every 3 years.A waning crescent moon is when the Moon looks like a crescent and the crescent decreases ("wanes") in size from one day to the next.HALF MOON A half moon looks like half a circle. The last quarter moon (or a half moon) is when half of the lit portion of the Moon is visible after the waning gibbous phase. A gibbous moon is between a full moon and a half moon, or between a half moon and a full moon.It will continue to shrink until it reaches the Last Quarterthat is when we see a half-moon. From the fully sunlit Moon, the illuminated part seems to be shrinking as it enters the waning phase. The waning gibbous phase occurs between the full moon and third quarter phases. What Is a Waning Gibbous Moon The Waning Gibbous Moon phase is an intermediate phase. A waning gibbous moon occurs when more than half of the lit portion of the Moon can be seen and the shape decreases ("wanes") in size from one day to the next.A lunar eclipse can only happen at full moon. The full moon phase occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, called opposition. A full moon is when we can see the entire lit portion of the Moon.The waxing gibbous phase occurs between the first quarter and full moon phases. A waxing gibbous moon occurs when more than half of the lit portion of the Moon can be seen and the shape increases ("waxes") in size from one day to the next.The first quarter moon (or a half moon) is when half of the lit portion of the Moon is visible after the waxing crescent phase.This phase is usually only seen in the west. A waxing crescent moon is when the Moon looks like a crescent and the crescent increases ("waxes") in size from one day to the next.A solar eclipse can only happen at new moon. ![]() The new moon phase occurs when the Moon is directly between the Earth and Sun. Waxing and waning When the Sun and Moon are aligned on the same side of the Earth, the Moon is 'new', and the side of the Moon facing Earth is not illuminated by the Sun. A new moon is when the moon cannot be seen because we are looking at the unlit half of the Moon.Every two weeks, we have to look in the opposite direction to see the Moon, and the ground beneath our feet is then tilted the opposite way as well. The tilted ramp works the same as the tilted “platform” of the Earth beneath our feet. If you turn around, the horizon appears to tilt the opposite way. In front of you, the horizon looks higher on the right and lower on the left. Earth has a tilt of 23.5 degrees on its axis, which means that when we observe the Moon from Earth, it’s a little like we’re standing sideways on a ramp. The tilt of the Moon’s orbit contributes to this, but it’s mostly due to the tilt of our Earth. We call this motion “libration in latitude.”įinally, the Moon appears to tilt back and forth like a metronome. One lunar month can be divided into four primary phases and four secondary phases. The word gibbous roots from the meaning hump-backed, which is just how the Moon appears during its gibbous phase. This is a time for us to grow and change just as much as the illuminated part of. The 5 degree tilt of the Moon’s orbit also causes it to appear to nod, as though it were saying “yes.” The tilt sometimes brings the Moon above Earth’s northern hemisphere, and sometimes below Earth’s southern hemisphere, allowing us to see slightly more of the northern or southern hemispheres of the Moon. A gibbous moon is any moon that appears more than half illuminated but is less than full. A Gibbous Moon refers to a Moon where the visible shape is larger than a semicircle. During this phase, the moon is once again half illuminated. We call this motion “libration in longitude.” This is the stage when the moon is more than half lit but the illuminated surface we can see is decreasing. After the first quarter, the sunlit portion is still increasing, but now it is more than half, so it is waxing gibbous. When the Moon is farthest from Earth and orbiting at its slowest, its rotation gets a little ahead, and we see a bit more of its western side. After the new moon, the sunlit portion is increasing, but less than half, so it is waxing crescent. When the Moon is at its closest to Earth and moving most quickly along its orbital path, the Moon itself doesn’t rotate quite fast enough to keep entirely the same side facing us, and we get to see a little more of the eastern side of the Moon. The Moon’s rate of rotation around its own axis, though, always stays the same. Because the Moon's orbit is not perfectly circular, its distance from Earth and its speed in orbit both change slightly throughout the month. ![]()
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