Lunar Phases

The lunar cycle of phases is about 29.5 days. As the moon rotates and revolves around the earth, and the earth rotates and revolves around the sun, the shadows cast by the shifting positions of the moon and earth cause the moon to wane, wax, and "disappear". This is known as the lunar cycle.

A gibbous moon is when the illuminated portion of the moon is more than half but less than fully illuminated. This occurs during the waxing phase after the first quarter moon and before the full moon.

The moon phase for last Wednesday was a waxing crescent, which means the moon is transitioning from a new moon to a first quarter moon.

The sunlit side of the moon drowns out the Earthshine from the "dark side" of the moon and the gibbous moon is mainly above the horizon during the nighttime hours, so Earthshine is almost never seen on a gibbous moon.

The first quarter moon phase usually crosses the meridian around 9pm in the United States. During this phase, the right half of the moon is illuminated, making it visible in the evening sky as it reaches its highest point.

During dusk, the waxing crescent, first quarter, and waxing gibbous phases of the moon would be visible in the sky. These phases all occur during the first half of the lunar cycle when the moon is transitioning from new moon to full moon.

The moon was full that night, because the Last Supper was a Passover Seder, which is why Catholics and many other Christian denominations use only unleavened bread for Communion.

Passover begins the night before 15 Nisan on the Hebrew calendar, and since every month of the Hebrew calendar begins at the time of the new moon, the 15th of every month is the time of the full moon.

The moon phase that appears to be getting smaller is called weaning. A teacher once said that you could remember weaning because it sounds like whining. Sometimes, a child whines when they don't get all of what they want. Also, waxing is when the moon gets larger

No, people on the other side of the world would see the moon phase in the opposite orientation due to the Earth's rotation. For example, if it's a full moon in one location, it would be a new moon in the opposite location.

They are mentioning there will be one but at the moment there is none. All we can do is hope!

The percentage of the moon that is illuminated varies during different lunar phases. During a full moon, 100% of the moon is illuminated, while during a new moon, 0% is illuminated. The waxing and waning phases fall somewhere in between, with values from 1% to 99% illuminated.

No, a new moon phase does not always cause an eclipse. Solar eclipses occur when the new moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, while lunar eclipses happen when the full moon passes through the Earth's shadow. Eclipses only occur when the alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon is just right.

The New Moon phase hides the moon from the Earth because the side of the moon facing the Earth is not lit by the Sun. This phase occurs when the moon is located between the Earth and the Sun and its illuminated side is facing away from us.

The lunar phases originate from the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. As the Moon orbits the Earth, different portions of its illuminated side are visible from Earth, creating the varying lunar phases we observe. The changing positions of these celestial bodies cause the lunar cycle.

Passover is based on the Jewish calendar, which follows a lunar cycle. The holiday begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, which correlates to the full moon. This connection ensures that Passover always occurs around the time of the full moon.

No, a lunar eclipse is not considered a moon phase. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon, while moon phases refer to the different illuminated portions of the Moon as seen from Earth during its orbit.

A new moon occurs approximately 28 days after a full moon. During a new moon, the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, with its illuminated side facing away from us, making it appear dark in the night sky.

The waning Moon phase in which only one-half of the lighted side of the Moon can be seen from Earth is called the Third Quarter Moon. It occurs when the Moon has completed three-quarters of its 29.5-day cycle.

No, a lunar eclipse can only occur during a full moon phase when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon. In contrast, the quarter moon phase occurs when the Moon is at a 90-degree angle relative to the Earth and the Sun, which does not align for a lunar eclipse to happen.

The new moon phase appears darkest to us because it is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, with its illuminated side facing away from Earth. This means the side of the moon we see is not illuminated by the Sun, making it appear completely dark from Earth.

The moon phase during a tsunami is unlikely to have a significant impact on the occurrence of the tsunami itself. Tsunamis are primarily triggered by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, not by the moon phase.

The moon phase that follows the new moon is the waxing crescent phase. During this phase, a small sliver of the moon is illuminated on the right side, signaling the beginning of the moon's waxing or growing phase as it moves towards a full moon.

Yes. The First Quarter and Third Quarter moons are up both day and night.

The First Quarter moon rises around midday so it is observed in the afternoon, evening and early night hours.

The Third Quarter moon rises in the middle of the night, peaks in the early morning hours and sets around midday.

The last quarter moon phase occurs when the moon is three-quarters of the way through its orbit around Earth. It appears as a half moon and is visible in the western sky after midnight and during the morning. This phase marks the beginning of the waning moon, leading up to the new moon.