What are the four phases of the moon?

The moon is a celestial body that orbits around the Earth and goes through different phases. There are four main phases of the moon, namely new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent. These phases are determined by the relative positions of the Earth, moon, and sun.

The new moon phase occurs when the moon is between the Earth and the sun, and the side of the moon facing Earth is not illuminated. The waxing crescent phase happens when a small sliver of the moon is visible, and it appears to be growing in size or waxing. The first quarter phase occurs when half of the moon's face is visible, and it is often called the half-moon. The waxing gibbous phase happens when the moon is more than half-illuminated but not yet a full moon.

The full moon phase occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun, and the side of the moon facing Earth is fully illuminated. The waning gibbous phase occurs when the moon is more than half-illuminated but is gradually becoming less illuminated or waning. The third quarter phase happens when half of the moon's face is visible, and it is often called the half-moon. The waning crescent phase occurs when a small sliver of the moon is visible, and it appears to be shrinking in size or waning.