Phases of the Moon

New Moon

The Moon and the Sun are in conjunction, occupying the same degree of the zodiac. The Moon itself is hidden by the brilliance of the Sun for the first 5½ to 12 hours after its birth but as it draws further away from the Sun’s light, its delicate silver crescent can be seen in the western sky after sunset.

First Quarter

As the Moon continues to travel anticlockwise further away from its conjunction with the Sun, its crescent grows larger each night as more of its surface becomes illuminated. When the Moon has reached an angle of 90˚ from the Sun, the first half-Moon phase is reached. This is the time of the fastest increase in its visible size. The Moon is now visible from about midday to midnight.

Full Moon

One week later, the Moon’s distance from the Sun has increased to 180˚and it stands in opposition to the Sun. The Full Moon occupies the polar opposite zodiac sign to that of the Sun. The Full Moon is the peak of the lunar cycle. As the Sun sets over the western horizon, so the Full Moon rises in the east and remains visible until dawn.

Last Quarter

One week later, the Moon is once again at right angles to the Sun, at a distance of 270˚ or ¾ of circumference of the sky. From now on the Moon’s orb grows smaller by the night as it closes on the Sun and its energy begins to wane. The cycle is coming to a close. The Moon rises about midnight and is visible during the second half of the night, not setting until around noon.