What is The Waxing Crescent Moon Phase? – The waxing crescent moon phase is the first phase of the moon after the New Moon. In the northern hemisphere, it appears as a small sliver on the right side of the moon, while in the southern hemisphere, it appears on the left side.
During this phase, the illuminated portion of the moon starts to grow bigger, giving us the first glimpse of the moon after the New Moon phase.
Current Waxing Crescent Moon Dates in the July Month
Waxing Crescent Moon Started: 18 July 2023, 00:01
Waxing Crescent Moon Ends: 26 July 2023, 03:36
It is between the New Moon and the First Quarter occuring 0.1 percent to 49.9 percent of the moon’s dayside. The New Moon, also known as the dark stage or the invisible phase, occurs when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are in a straight line.
The bright side of the Moon is facing the Sun, while the darker side is facing Earth. The Waxing Crescent Moon phase begins as the Moon becomes visible again after the New Moon conjunction.
What is The Waxing Crescent Moon Phase and Details about Grow
The term “waxing” refers to the Moon’s growth, while “crescent” describes its curved sickle shape.
It is important to note that the thinnest sliver of the Waxing Crescent Moon is considered the New Moon. This phase is visible in the western sky shortly after sunset, as Earth spins and all sky objects rise in the east and set in the west.
The Waxing Crescent Moon has no connection to Earth’s shadow on the moon, which only occurs during a full moon when the moon and sun are on opposite sides of Earth. As the Moon continues in its counterclockwise orbit around Earth, we gradually see more of the illuminated portion, leading to the Waxing Gibbous Moon phase and eventually the Full Moon phase.
After the Full Moon, the Moon enters the waning phase, where the illuminated part decreases until it returns to the New Moon phase, marking the beginning of a new moon cycle.
Earthshine on the Waxing Crescent Moon Phase
Earthshine is a phenomenon that occurs when a pale glow is visible on the night portion of a crescent moon. This glow is caused by the reflection of sunlight off the Earth onto the moon’s surface.
When we see a crescent moon from Earth, someone standing on the moon would see a nearly full Earth, just as a full moon can illuminate the Earth’s landscape.
However, on a waxing crescent moon, the moon is not opposite the sun but rather on a similar line of sight, resulting in the moon’s own shadow being cast on its surface. This means that when we look at a waxing crescent moon, we see a thin fraction of the moon’s illuminated side and a larger fraction of its night side.
Facts about Waxing Crescent Moon Phase
The Waxing Crescent phase is the first phase after the New Moon, during which the moon appears as a small sliver of light that gradually grows larger.
It is important to note that eclipses do not occur during the Waxing Crescent phase, as an eclipse only happens when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align and one object is in the shadow of another.
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