Each month, the Moon, seen from Earth, experiences a growth and decrease in its illumination that gives it different aspects. In a game of light and shadow, the Earth’s natural satellite goes through different interesting stages that we know as phases of the Moon or lunar phases. And although it may seem complicated, in reality you just have to understand the dynamics of the Sun, Earth and Moon, to understand why the Moon looks different every day. Once the movement and interaction of these three celestial bodies is clear to us, then it remains for us to know how many and what the phases of the Moon are.
A heavenly dance
The lunar cycle depends on several factors, but the most relevant fact to understand its phases is that the Moon does not have its own light. This reflects the light that reaches it from the Sun and with the celestial dance between the Earth and the Moon, the rays do not always reach it in the same way. We must remember that the Moon moves around our planet, therefore, there will be times when the light will hit it completely when it is placed just behind the Earth and we will observe its illuminated side, what we know as a Full Moon.
But on the contrary, when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, from our perspective we cannot observe the illuminated side of the natural satellite, we will only see a Moon full of shadows. A phase that we know as New Moon, where the Moon can be seen completely in the shadows. However, these two are not the only lunar phases, in any month of the year from Earth you can observe eight lunar phases, which are mainly defined by two aspects. The first is how illuminated the lunar disk appears to be from Earth’s perspective and the second is whether it is waning or waxing. The lunar calendar emerges from these two aspects.
Moon phases
New Moon
Also known as the new moon, it occurs when the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun. In this play of light and shadows, the illuminated side of the Moon could be seen from the Sun, but not from the Earth. From our perspective, the half of the Moon that faces us does not reflect sunlight. Therefore, we observe a moon completely in the shadows.
Crescent moon
The first reflections of the Sun’s rays on the Moon begin to be seen, two days after the new moon. It has a C shape although it is observed from different sides depending on the hemisphere. The strip of light is seen growing from the left side for the southern hemisphere, while in the northern hemisphere it grows from the right side.
Crescent
The crescent, unlike the crescent Moon, is characterized by illumination beyond just a C-shaped strip. In this phase, the Moon is half illuminated, the light already covers 50% of the face of the Moon. natural satellite. Like the crescent Moon, the northern hemisphere will see the right side illuminated, while in the southern hemisphere the left side will be illuminated.
Waxing Gibbous Moon
The illumination continues to advance and prepares for the full Moon, however the illumination still does not reach 100%. The Sun’s rays cover 96% of the lunar disk, so we will now see a Moon with a small incomplete portion. And as in the previous phases, the illuminated side depends on the hemisphere in which it is located.
full moon
Also called a full moon, it occurs when the Sun, Earth, Moon alignment has arrived. From our perspective one of the lunar faces is completely illuminated and we see it shine at night in its maximum splendor.
Waning Gibbous Moon
The decrease in illumination achieved at the full Moon begins and the shadows advance again. The satellite begins to lose brightness on one of its sides depending on which hemisphere it is observed from. In the northern hemisphere darkness advances from the right and to the left, otherwise in the southern hemisphere.
last quarter
Darkness and light reach a balance, the Moon is illuminated in half and has shadows on the other percentage of its face. Our satellite prepares for the last phases before beginning its cycle again.
waning moon
The darkness continues to advance until it almost permeates the entire solar disk, but it is still possible to observe the last rays of the sun shining on a small portion. The Moon is now ready to begin its everlasting dance of lights and shadows again.