New moon Waxing crescent First quarter/Half-moon Waxing gibbous Full moon Waning Gibbous Third quarter/Half-moon Waning crescent New moon[3] X Research source

During the new moon, the moon is between the Earth and the sun, and is therefore not illuminated at all from our perspective. At this time, the moon’s illuminated side completely faces the sun, and we see the side that’s in full shadow. During the first quarter, we see half of the moon’s illuminated side and half of the moon’s shadowed side. The same is true in the third quarter, except the sides we see are reversed. [5] X Research source When the moon appears full, we see its full illuminated half, while the side that’s in complete shadow faces out into space. After the full moon, the moon continues its journey back to its original position between the Earth and the sun, which is another new moon. It takes the moon a little over 27. 32 days to complete one full revolution around the Earth. However, a full lunar month (from new moon to new moon) is 29. 5 days, because that’s how long it takes the moon to return to its position between the sun and Earth. [6] X Research source

The moon’s phases always look the same, so although the moon itself may appear in different locations and orientations in the sky, you’ll always be able to identify what phase it’s in if you know what to look for.

A waxing moon will be illuminated on the right side, and a waning moon will be illuminated on the left side. [7] X Research source Hold out your right hand with your thumb out, palm facing the sky. The thumb and forefingers make a curve like a backward C. If the moon fits in this curve, it’s a waxing moon (increasing). If you do the same with your left hand and the moon fits in the “C” curve then it is waning (decreasing).

A crescent moon in the shape of a backwards C is waxing A half or gibbous moon in the shape of a D is waxing. A half or gibbous moon in the shape of a backwards D is waning. A crescent moon in the shape of a C is waning.

You can’t see a new moon because it isn’t illuminated by the sun, and because it rises and sets at the same time as the sun. As the waxing moon moves into its first quarter, it will rise in the morning, reach its height around dusk, and set around midnight. Full moons come up when the sun goes down and set when the sun comes up. As the waning moon moves into its third quarter, it will rise at midnight and set in the morning. [8] X Research source

A moon that’s illuminated on the left side is waxing, while a moon that’s illuminated on the right side is waning. [9] X Research source Hold out your right hand with your thumb out, palm facing the sky. The thumb and forefingers make a curve like a backward C. If the moon fits in this curve, it’s a waning moon (decreasing). If you do the same with your left hand and the moon fits in the “C” curve then it is waxing (increasing).

A crescent moon in the shape of a C is waxing A half or gibbous moon in the shape of a backwards D is waxing. A moon in the shape of an O is full. A half or gibbous moon in the shape of a D is waning. A crescent moon in the shape of a backwards C is waning.

The first-quarter moon will rise in the morning and set around midnight. The full moon rises and sets when the sun sets and rises. The third-quarter moon will rise at midnight and set in the morning. [10] X Research source