waxing crescent moon
Quick Summary
The waxing crescent moon is one of the eight distinct lunar phases observed as the Moon orbits Earth. This phase occurs after the new moon, when the Moon begins to reveal a sliver of its illuminated surface. As the Moon continues its orbit, the visible illuminated portion grows each night, transitioning from a thin crescent to a larger one. This gradual increase in illumination is known as "waxing." The waxing crescent is followed by the first quarter and waxing gibbous phases before reaching the full moon. The phases of the Moon are determined by the varying amounts of its surface that are illuminated by the Sun as seen from Earth.12
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