waning phases
It sounds like the moon is currently waxing gibbous, with more than a quarter but less than half of the moon visible. As it progresses towards the third quarter phase, the visible portion will continue to decrease until only half of the moon is visible.
Waxing and waning refer to the phases of the moon in its lunar cycle. "Waxing" describes the period when the visible portion of the moon is increasing, leading up to a full moon, while "waning" indicates the decrease in visibility after the full moon, until it becomes a new moon. These terms can also be applied more broadly to describe any gradual increase or decrease in size or intensity.
When the illuminated portion is decreasing from one night to the next, the moon is in its 'waning' phases.
After the last quarter moon, the lunar phase that follows is the waning crescent moon. During this phase, the visible portion of the moon continues to decrease until it becomes a new moon. The waning crescent is characterized by a thin sliver of light on the left side, gradually fading until the moon is not visible at all. This cycle then starts anew with the new moon.
Getting larger is WAXING. Getting smaller is WANING..
It sounds like the moon is currently waxing gibbous, with more than a quarter but less than half of the moon visible. As it progresses towards the third quarter phase, the visible portion will continue to decrease until only half of the moon is visible.
Waxing and waning refer to the phases of the moon in its lunar cycle. "Waxing" describes the period when the visible portion of the moon is increasing, leading up to a full moon, while "waning" indicates the decrease in visibility after the full moon, until it becomes a new moon. These terms can also be applied more broadly to describe any gradual increase or decrease in size or intensity.
crescent
When the illuminated portion is decreasing from one night to the next, the moon is in its 'waning' phases.
After the last quarter moon, the lunar phase that follows is the waning crescent moon. During this phase, the visible portion of the moon continues to decrease until it becomes a new moon. The waning crescent is characterized by a thin sliver of light on the left side, gradually fading until the moon is not visible at all. This cycle then starts anew with the new moon.
New Moon = the moment when none of the moon's illuminated half is visible from the earth.Waxing Crescent = about 7 days; visible portion growing from zero to half of the moon's diskFirst quarter = the moment when half of the moon's disk is visibleWaxing gibbous = about 7 days; visible portion growing from half to all of the moon's diskFull Moon = the moment when all of the moon;s illuminated half is visible from the earth.Waning gibbous = about 7 days; visible portion shrinking from all to half of the moon's diskLast quarter = the moment when half of the moon's disk is visibleWaning Crescent = about 7 days; visible portion shrinking from half of the moon's disk to zero
Getting larger is WAXING. Getting smaller is WANING..
A decrease in the illuminated portion of the Moon is called waning. When the illuminated portion is increasing, it is called waxing.
A waning cresent.
The moon phase you are describing is the waning gibbous phase. This occurs after the full moon and before the third quarter moon when the illuminated portion of the moon is decreasing.
As the moon transitions from the new moon phase to the first quarter phase, the visible portion of its surface, or the illuminated part, increases. This is due to the moon's orbit around the Earth, which allows more sunlight to illuminate its surface. During this time, the crescent shape of the moon gradually expands, leading to a larger visible portion. Eventually, it will reach the first quarter phase, where half of the moon will be illuminated.
A waning gibbous moon occurs after a full moon when the illuminated portion of the moon starts to decrease. During this phase, more than half of the moon's surface is still visible from Earth, but the light gradually diminishes as the moon moves toward its third quarter phase. This decrease in illumination happens because the moon is orbiting Earth, causing the angle of sunlight reflecting off its surface to change.