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What are the Moonâs eight phases in order?
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Moon
(Left) Near side of Earth's Moon, photographed by the Galileo spacecraft on its way to Jupiter. (Right) Far side of the Moon with some of the near side visible (upper right), photographed by the Apollo 16 spacecraft.
The Moon undergoes a cycle of eight distinct lunar phases as it orbits Earth. These phases occur in the following order:
- New moon: The Moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun, rendering its illuminated side invisible from Earth.12
- Waxing crescent: A small, growing sliver of the Moon becomes visible.12
- First quarter: Half of the Moon's disk appears illuminated.12
- Waxing gibbous: More than half of the Moon is illuminated as it approaches full brightness.12
- Full moon: The entire face of the Moon is illuminated and visible from Earth.12
- Waning gibbous: The illuminated portion begins to diminish after the full moon.12
- Last quarter: The opposite half of the Moon appears illuminated compared to the first quarter phase.12
- Waning crescent: Only a thin sliver of light remains visible before the cycle resets to a new moon.12