The stage just before a full moon is a quarter moon.
The phase of the Moon that occurs when it is three-quarters full just before the full Moon phase is the waxing gibbous phase. This phase occurs as the Moon is waxing, or growing larger, towards the full Moon.
waxing gibbous
The phase of the Moon that occurs when it is three-quarters full just before the full Moon is called the Gibbous Moon, specifically the Waxing Gibbous phase. During this phase, more than half of the Moon's surface is illuminated, and it is approaching full illumination. The Waxing Gibbous phase occurs between the First Quarter and the Full Moon.
It is difficult to tell exactly when the Moon is full just by looking; a Moon that's a day or two before the full moon is almost as bright as the full moon itself, and it remains quite bright for a day or two after.
Full moon, or 5th stage
The phase of the Moon that occurs when it is three-quarters full just before the full Moon phase is the waxing gibbous phase. This phase occurs as the Moon is waxing, or growing larger, towards the full Moon.
waxing gibbous
waxing gibbous
"Gibbous" . . . less than full but more than half illuminated.
The phase of the Moon that occurs when it is three-quarters full just before the full Moon is called the Gibbous Moon, specifically the Waxing Gibbous phase. During this phase, more than half of the Moon's surface is illuminated, and it is approaching full illumination. The Waxing Gibbous phase occurs between the First Quarter and the Full Moon.
Just before a full moon which occurred on the 23rd.
A full moon is when the moon is in its orbital phase where it is directly opposite the sun, with its illuminated side facing Earth. This occurs approximately every 29.5 days as the moon completes one full orbit around Earth.
waxing
Last. No moon is called new moon.
It is difficult to tell exactly when the Moon is full just by looking; a Moon that's a day or two before the full moon is almost as bright as the full moon itself, and it remains quite bright for a day or two after.
Full moon, or 5th stage
Nowhere, it continues on its orbit. It is perfectly possible to see the moon in the sky while the sun is still up just before and just after the full moon.