What is the Difference between Waxing and Waning of the Moon
Have you ever looked up at the sky and noticed that the moon appears to change shape throughout the month? This visible change in the moon’s appearance is caused by the different amounts of sunlight reflecting off the surface of the moon, as it orbits the earth. The two terms to describe this cycle are ‘waxing’ and ‘waning.’
What is Waxing?
Waxing refers to the period when the visible surface of the moon is increasing in size. During the waxing phase, the moon moves away from the new moon phase towards the full moon phase. The new moon phase is the beginning of the moon phase cycle, where the moon is not visible from Earth as it is positioned between the Earth and the Sun.
As the moon moves away from the new moon phase, a thin crescent appears on the right or left side of the moon, depending on the hemisphere in which you are located. The amount of light reflected off the moon increases each night, causing the visible part of the moon to grow in size.
What is Waning?
Waning refers to the period when the visible surface of the moon is decreasing in size. During the waning phase, the moon moves away from the full moon phase towards the new moon phase. The full moon phase is the middle of the moon phase cycle, where the moon appears as a complete circle.
As the moon moves away from the full moon phase, the visible size of the moon gradually decreases, and the amount of light reflected each night decreases. Eventually, the moon returns to the new moon phase, where it is not visible from Earth.
Why does the Moon Wax and Wane?
The moon phases are caused by the shifting angles of the moon’s position relative to the Earth and Sun. The moon’s surface doesn’t produce light itself; instead, it reflects the sun’s light. As it moves around the earth, different parts of the moon are illuminated by the sun, providing the different phases and resulting in the waxing and waning of the moon.
What is the Difference between Waxing and Waning of the Moon?
The moon is one of the most fascinating celestial bodies that can be observed from Earth. It has been a subject of fascination for people for thousands of years. The moon is responsible for the tide, and it’s also a source of light at night. But, what is the difference between waxing and waning of the moon? In this blog post, we’ll explain what waxing and waning means, how it affects the appearance of the moon, and what causes these changes.
What is the Waxing of the Moon?
Waxing is one of the most common changes in the moon’s appearance. It’s a process by which the moon appears to be getting larger. The waxing phase of the moon occurs between the new moon and full moon phases. As the moon moves around the Earth, the sun illuminates different parts of it. During the waxing phase, the illuminated part of the moon that faces Earth increases in size. Waxing moon can be observed on the left side of the sky.
What is the Waning of the Moon?
Waning is the opposite of waxing, and it describes the process by which the moon appears to be getting smaller. The waning phase of the moon occurs between the full moon and new moon phases. During the waning phase, the illuminated part of the moon that faces Earth decreases in size. The waning moon can be observed on the right side of the sky.
What Causes the Waxing and Waning of the Moon?
The moon’s appearance changes due to its position relative to the Earth and the sun. As the moon orbits around the Earth, it rotates on its own axis. The side of the moon that faces the Earth receives light from the sun, which is what causes the moon to appear bright. As the moon moves around the Earth, the amount of light from the sun that reaches the moon changes. This causes the changes in the moon’s appearance.
Why Does the Moon Look Different During the Waxing and Waning Phases?
The moon looks different during the waxing and waning phases due to the angles at which the sunlight hits the moon. During the waxing phase, the angle at which the sun’s light hits the moon increases gradually, causing the illumination of the moon’s surface to appear larger. During the waning phase, the angle at which the sun’s light hits the moon decreases gradually, causing the illuminated part of the moon to appear smaller. This difference in angles leads to a different amount of shadow that creates the crescent-like shape of the moon during the waxing and waning phase.
What are the Different Phases of the Moon?
The moon has eight different phases, each with a different appearance. These phases are the New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, and Waning Crescent. The new moon is the first phase of the moon, and it’s the point where the lunar cycle starts. During the new moon phase, the moon is not visible from Earth.
The waxing crescent phase is the second phase of the moon, and it’s the point where the moon starts to become visible. During this phase, the moon is visible as a crescent-shaped sliver in the sky.
The first quarter is the third phase of the moon. During this phase, the moon appears to be half full, and it’s visible in the sky during the daytime.
The waxing gibbous is the fourth phase of the moon. During this phase, the illuminated part of the moon is more than half.
The full moon is the fifth phase of the moon, and it’s the point where the moon appears fully illuminated.
Waning gibbous is the sixth phase of the moon. During this phase, the moon appears to be less than completely lit.
The third quarter is the seventh phase of the moon. During this phase, the moon appears half-lit.
Waning crescent is the eighth and final phase of the moon. During this phase, the moon appears to be a thin crescent shape in the sky as it approaches the new moon phase.
What is the Difference between Waxing and Waning of the Moon?
The moon is Earth’s natural satellite, and it moves around the Earth in a nearly circular orbit. While observing the moon, we often notice that it appears to change its shape, size, and luminosity. This change in appearance of the moon is what we call ‘lunar phases,’ and it happens due to the varying positions of the moon, Earth, and the sun. There are eight phases of the lunar cycle, but the most commonly known phases are the waxing and waning phases.
The Basics of Lunar Phases:
To understand the difference between waxing and waning, we must first understand the basics of lunar phases. The lunar phases are caused by the sunlight reflecting off the moon’s surface, and the phase that we see depends on the angle between the sun, moon, and Earth. When the moon is between the sun and Earth, it is called a ‘new moon,’ and it is when it is closest to the sun. During a new moon, the side of the moon facing Earth is in shadow, and it cannot be seen.
After the new moon, the angle between the sun, moon, and Earth causes the moon to wax or grow in size, and this is when we can see the moon again. The waxing phase continues until the moon is fully illuminated, and the phase that we see is called a ‘full moon.’ After the full moon, the angle of the moon, sun, and Earth causes the moon to wane or decrease in size.
Waxing of the Moon:
The waxing of the moon describes the phases of the lunar cycle when the illuminated portion of the moon is increasing. During the waxing phase, the moon appears to grow larger, and the nights become brighter. The moon moves through the following phases during its waxing phase:
New Moon:
The new moon marks the beginning of the lunar cycle, and it is when the moon is between the sun and Earth, so we cannot see it.
Crescent Moon:
After the new moon, a small sliver of the moon becomes visible, and this is known as the ‘crescent moon.’ During this phase, the illuminated portion of the moon is increasing, and it is located on the right side of the moon.
First Quarter:
During the first quarter, half of the moon becomes visible, and the illuminated part is increasing. This phase is known as the ‘first quarter’ because it marks one-quarter of the way through the lunar cycle.
Gibbous Moon:
After the first quarter, the moon continues to wax, and the illuminated part of the moon becomes almost full. This phase is called the ‘gibbous moon,’ and it appears as a round, almost full moon.
Full Moon:
The full moon is the brightest and most recognizable phase of the lunar cycle. During this phase, the Earth, moon, and sun are in a straight line, and the illuminated surface of the moon faces Earth.
Waning of the Moon:
The waning of the moon describes the phases of the lunar cycle when the illuminated portion of the moon is decreasing. During the waning phase, the moon appears to grow smaller, and the nights become darker. The moon moves through the following phases during its waning phase:
Full Moon:
After the full moon, the illuminated part of the moon begins to decrease. This phase is referred to as the ‘full moon’ because it occurs after the moon is fully illuminated.
Disseminating Moon:
During this phase, the illuminated part of the moon is still more than half, but less than fully illuminated. The disseminating moon appears as an upside-down C shape.
Last Quarter:
During the last quarter, half of the moon becomes visible again, but the illuminated part is now decreasing. This phase is called the ‘last quarter’ because it marks three-quarters of the way through the lunar cycle.
Balsamic Moon:
The balsamic moon is the final phase of the lunar cycle, when only a small crescent is visible. This phase is also called the ‘dark moon,’ and it is when the illuminated part of the moon is the smallest.
Final Thoughts:
In conclusion, the waxing and waning of the moon are two essential phases in the lunar cycle. While the waxing phase describes the growth of the illuminated portion of the moon, the waning phase describes the decrease of that portion. Understanding the waxing and waning of the moon can give us a better understanding of the lunar cycle and the natural world around us.
