As the Moon orbits around Earth, a slice of sunlight illuminates its near side (night side). This slice continues to increase until a full moon when more than half of the Moon’s face is fully lit.
The cycle of lunar phases takes about 29.5 days. This is longer than the true siderial period of 27.3 days because the Moon needs a few extra days to catch up and return to its original position relative to the Sun.
New Moon
The Moon’s orbit around Earth causes it to change phases in an orderly manner. As it goes through these phases, the fraction of its surface illuminated by sunlight changes gradually.
In the Northern Hemisphere, for example, the portion of the moon lit up by sunlight grows to a crescent and then to a semicircle and then to a gibbous shape until it reaches a full moon. It takes about a fortnight for the Moon to go through these different lit-up phases.
A new moon is the time when the Moon is most near the Earth and most between the sun and the Earth for a specific month. It is often visible from the sky, except when it crosses the face of the sun in a solar eclipse.
It is often associated with a desire for a fresh start. Most people unconsciously align with this energy, tending to create new habits, start new projects and initiate life changes around the same time as a new moon.
But if you’re truly ready for a fresh start, it’s important to consciously embrace this energetic shift. It can help you to re-focus and propel your transitions forward even further, regardless of any doubts or concerns that might come up along the way.
First Quarter Moon
The moon’s journey around the Earth takes about 28 days. In this time, it travels through eight different phases, each one marking a subtle shift in our energetic atmosphere.
There are four major Moon phases (New Moon, First Quarter Moon, Full Moon and Last Quarter Moon), and four minor Moon phases that occur halfway between the main ones. These are the Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous and Waning Crescent Moons.
At each Moon phase, the half of the Moon that is facing the Sun is illuminated, while the other side is in shadow. This happens because of astronomical phenomenon called Synchronous Rotation, or Tidal Locking.
However, even though the illuminated half of the Moon is always changing, we only see the same face each night because it rotates on its axis enough to compensate for the angle it sweeps out in orbit around Earth.
So, when you’re looking up at the sky and you see a disk of the Moon almost completely lit on the right side, but a tiny sliver on the left side that is still in darkness, that’s the First Quarter Moon! That’s a sign that your path is about to change, and it’s time to step up and take action.
Full Moon
The Moon moves around Earth in its orbit, and as it goes through a cycle of eight phases the amount of the lit-up side changes. In the Northern Hemisphere, a crescent-shaped disk is lit up on the right half of the Moon (called the first quarter) and a gibbous disk is lit up on the left half of the Moon (called the last quarter).
As the lunar cycle repeats, the light from the sun is reflected off the surface of the moon to create these different shapes. It takes about a month for the Moon to go through all eight lunar phases.
When the Moon reaches its first quarter phase it is 90 degrees east of the Sun when viewed from Earth. This phase receives its name because at this point it has completed 1/4 of the lunar cycle.
During the next few days, the portion of the Moon that is lit up becomes larger, and then the crescent grows into a full moon. This process is called ‘waxing’. Eventually the Moon’s phase reaches a gibbous disk shape and is then called ‘waning’.
Last Quarter Moon
The Moon moves around the Earth in an orbit, changing phase throughout its journey. Each phase lasts around seven days, bringing subtle changes to the cosmos.
Each lunar cycle begins with a new moon, reaches its peak at a full moon and fades back into the night before starting again. It takes about 29.5 days for the cycle to repeat again.
During the last quarter phase, only the left half of the Moon appears lighted as seen from Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, the lit area of the Moon slowly shrinks from left to right until the entire disk is dark.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the same thing happens but the right half of the Moon is fully illuminated.
The Last Quarter Moon is often seen as a time to let go and move on from a relationship that has been causing you pain. It may also be a good time to reevaluate your current relationships and see what is working for you. Using the Last Quarter Moon for reflection can help you delve deep into your emotions and subconscious dreamworld. It could also be a great time to cut ties with people who are no longer helpful in your life.
Waxing Crescent
As the Moon orbits Earth, it completes its cycle in an orderly way. Astronomers have broken this cycle into four primary phases that occur at specific times, no matter where you are on Earth (and which are then converted to local time), and four secondary phases that reflect a span of time, rather than a precise moment.
For example, a Waxing Crescent Moon is the first phase of the lunar cycle after the New Moon and before the First Quarter Moon. It can be seen at the beginning of the day, when the Moon appears just a tiny crescent of light in the sky. It gradually grows bigger and bigger, until it looks like the Full Moon.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the past, a Waxing Crescent Moon is an excellent time to take some steps toward changing your situation. This is because the energy of this phase is noted as overt, outward, and expanding; it wants you to spring forth and finish what needs to be done in order to make your dreams a reality.
This phase of the Moon is also the most visible, and it’s often referred to as the Full Moon in the night sky. The illuminated portion of the Moon increases from 50% at the Half Moon of the First Quarter phase to 100% at the Full Moon. This is because it’s the time when the Moon is closest to Earth, and reflects most of its illumination directly onto our planet.
Waxing Gibbous
How many days between each moon phase depends on where you are, how high in the sky the moon is and what side of the earth it’s positioned.
When the Moon is new (the dark phase), it’s positioned between Earth and Sun and is essentially invisible from our perspective. As the moon orbits around Earth, it will gradually become brighter and lighter until Full Moon, where it’s 100 percent illuminated.
This is the largest and most beautiful Moon phase and a good time to enjoy it with friends or family. It’s also a great time to work hard on something you’re passionate about, such as your craft or spiritual practice.
People have used the phases of the moon for a long time to divine and determine things in their lives. They could forecast the weather, predict a woman’s cycles, and even predict plant growth!
Historically, the waxing gibbous was a time of the month when people would strive to finish their projects before reaching Full Moon. It symbolized the idea that the things in life that we want aren’t always going to come easily – you need to put in the effort before it’s possible to reap the rewards of your labor.
Waning Crescent
The Waning Crescent is the final intermediate phase before a new Moon cycle begins. In the Northern Hemisphere, the moon becomes more illuminated during this time. In the Southern Hemisphere, it becomes more dark.
The crescent phase of the Moon is often a reminder that something is growing inside you, whether it is your inner strength, connection with the universe, or that part of you that feels connected to everything else. It can also be a reminder to slow down and take time to reflect on what is happening, so that you can find your inner centeredness again before the moon cycle begins again.
It is also a good time to meditate and to find peace within yourself. It is also a time to let go of anything that no longer serves you, and to take a deep breath.
As you see the sliver of light that forms on the waxing crescent, take a moment to think about all the blessings and growth you’ve received over the past month. Then, breathe life into the dreams that have come to you during this cycle. With a fresh perspective, look forward to the new beginning that is about to begin at the full moon.