How Does a Waxing Crescent Look Different Than a Waning Crescent?

As the moon orbits around the Earth, it goes through several phases that are easily recognized by the changes in its appearance. Two of the most commonly known phases are the waxing crescent and the waning crescent. While their names might sound similar, they have several differences we can notice.

Waxing Crescent Moon

When we observe the waxing crescent moon, we can see that the illuminated portion of the moon is getting larger day by day. It is said to be waxing because the moon is growing in its illumination. The moon is always half-illuminated by the Sun, but what we can see from the Earth is the portion of the illuminated half that is facing us.

As the moon orbits around the Earth, the angle between the Sun, Earth, and Moon changes, and so does the amount of illuminated portion we can see from our planet. The waxing crescent moon appears as a small sliver or a curved shape, sometimes known as a “smile,” in the sky. It is visible after the new moon, and until the half-moon stage.

Waning Crescent Moon

On the other hand, the waning crescent appears just before the new moon, after the half-moon stage. It has a similar shape to the waxing crescent, but the illuminated portion is decreasing, meaning it is “waning.”

However, there are a few visible differences between the waxing and waning crescent when we observe them. Firstly, the waxing crescent’s illuminated portion is always on its right side. In contrast, the waning crescent’s illuminated portion is always on its left side. This happens because of the moon’s orbit around Earth and its rotation around its axis, creating a different angle for us to see the illuminated portion.

We can also notice that the waxing crescent moon sits low on the horizon after sunset, while the waning crescent is visible in the early morning before sunrise. This phenomenon happens because of the relative positioning of the Sun, Earth, and Moon at specific times of the lunar cycle.

How Does a Waxing Crescent Look Different Than a Waning Crescent?

As humans, we are always fascinated by the movements and changes in the sky. The waxing and waning crescent phases of the moon have always captured our attention. But, do you know the difference between a waxing and waning crescent moon? If not, don’t worry as we have covered everything that you need to know in this blog post.

What is a Waxing Crescent Moon?

A waxing crescent moon is the lunar phase that appears in the sky during the first week following a new moon. During this phase, only a small fraction of the moon’s surface is illuminated by the sun, making the moon look like a tiny sliver or a crescent. The illuminated part of the moon gradually grows bigger each night, and the crescent shape becomes more prominent.

What is a Waning Crescent Moon?

A waning crescent moon is the lunar phase that appears in the sky during the last week before a new moon. During this phase, the moon appears to be decreasing in size as it moves closer to the new moon. Like the waxing crescent, only a small fraction of the moon’s surface is illuminated by the sun, making the moon appear like a sliver or a crescent. However, during the waning crescent phase, the illuminated part of the moon gradually reduces each night.

How to Tell the Difference?

The major difference between a waxing and waning crescent moon is the direction in which the crescent shape is facing. In a waxing crescent moon, the illuminated part of the moon is on the right, while in a waning crescent moon, it is on the left. Another way to remember this is that the illuminated part of the moon looks like a ‘C’ in a waxing crescent and a ‘D’ in a waning crescent.

Other Differences Between Waxing and Waning Crescent Moons

Apart from the direction of the crescent shape, there are a few other differences between the waxing and waning crescent phases of the moon:

• The waxing crescent moon rises during mid-morning and sets in the evening, while the waning crescent rises after midnight and sets during midday.
• The waxing crescent is visible in the western sky after sunset, while the waning crescent can be seen in the eastern sky before sunrise.
• The waxing crescent is brighter than the waning crescent because the illuminated part of the moon is getting larger each night, while the waning crescent is getting smaller.

How Does a Waxing Crescent Look Different Than a Waning Crescent?

If you are looking up at the night sky, you will discover a variety of beautiful sights such as planets, stars, and constellations. One of the most beautiful things you can see in the sky is the moon. Watching the moon phases is fascinating as it changes every night, from a full moon to a waning crescent, and vice versa. In this post, we are going to discuss the differences between a waxing crescent and a waning crescent, two of the moon’s phases.

What is a Crescent Moon?

Before we delve into the difference between waxing and waning crescents, it is essential to define what a crescent moon is. A crescent moon refers to the phase of the moon when less than half of the illuminated part of the moon visible from Earth appears in a crescent shape.

Waxing Crescent Moon

A waxing crescent moon is observed when the illuminated portion of the moon is in the process of increasing from a new moon to a full moon. During this time, the moon moves in the sky from being near the horizon in the west during sunset to around the middle of the sky at midnight. If you observe the sky during a waxing crescent moon, you will notice that the narrow, crescent-shaped part of the moon faces the setting sun, while the rest of the moon is in shadow.

How Does a Waxing Crescent Look?

During a waxing crescent, the moon appears as a thin crescent shape with the curved side always facing towards the sun. The illuminated crescent will be on the right-hand side, and the thickest part of the crescent will be on the left-hand side. The moon’s right-hand side will be dark, as it is not receiving any sunlight.

If you draw an imaginary line from the top left corner of the crescent to the bottom right corner, the line will point towards the right direction, moving towards the full moon.

Waning Crescent Moon

A waning crescent moon, on the other hand, occurs when the illuminated part of the moon is gradually decreasing from a full moon to a new moon. During the waning crescent phase, the moon moves from being overhead at midnight to setting in the west around sunrise.

How Does a Waning Crescent Look?

The waning crescent moon is identical to the waxing crescent in shape, but the illuminated portion is on the left side. During this phase, the illuminated part decreases each night, becoming thinner and thinner until the moon disappears.

If you draw an imaginary line from the top right corner of the crescent to the bottom left corner, the line will point towards the left direction, signifying that the moon is on the waning phase.

Differences Between Waxing and Waning Crescent

Now that we have established that both waxing and waned crescents look alike in shape, the only difference between them is the orientation of the illuminated portion. During the waxing phase, the illuminated portion will always be on the right-hand side, while in the waning phase, it will always be on the left-hand side.

Another significant difference between a waxing crescent and waning crescent is the time when they are visible. A waxing crescent can be seen in the western sky after sunset, while a waning crescent can be observed in the eastern sky before sunrise.

Why Does the Moon Change Shape?

The moon changes shape regularly because of its relative position to the sun and Earth. As the moon orbits around Earth, different parts of the surface become visible to us while others disappear. The changes in the moon’s position relative to the sun during the lunar cycle cause different areas of the moon to reflect sunlight.

In Conclusion

The waxing and waning crescents are moon phases where less than fifty percent of the illuminated part of the moon is visible. The orientation of the illuminated portion is the primary difference between them, with the waxing crescent having its illuminated part on the right-hand side, while the waning crescent has its illuminated part on the left-hand side. Additionally, the waxing crescent is generally visible after sunset, while the waning crescent is visible before sunrise. Observing the moon phases is an exciting experience that anyone can enjoy, and with this explanation, you can easily differentiate between the waxing and waning crescents.