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The eight moon phases
New moon, crescent, quarter, gibbous and full — the eight phases of the Moon, what each looks like and where it falls in the 29.5-day cycle.
The Moon cycles through eight named phases about every 29.5 days as the sunlit portion we see grows and shrinks. Here they are in order, each with what it looks like and roughly where it falls in the cycle. Left and right lit sides are described as seen from the Northern Hemisphere; south of the equator they are mirrored.
| Phase | Appearance | Cycle position |
|---|---|---|
| New moon | Effectively invisible | Start of the cycle (day 0) |
| Waxing crescent | A thin sliver on the right, growing | First few days after new moon |
| First quarter | Right half lit (Northern Hemisphere) | About a week in (day ~7) |
| Waxing gibbous | More than half, still growing | Second week (days ~8–14) |
| Full moon | The whole disc lit | Middle of the cycle (day ~14–15) |
| Waning gibbous | More than half, now shrinking | Third week (days ~16–21) |
| Last quarter | Left half lit (Northern Hemisphere) | About three weeks in (day ~22) |
| Waning crescent | A thin sliver on the left, fading | Final days before new moon |
Each phase in turn
New moon
At the new moon the Moon sits roughly between Earth and the Sun, so its lit face points away from us and it is all but invisible. This is the darkest sky of the month and the best time for stargazing. The cycle of phases begins here and repeats about every 29.5 days.
Waxing crescent
A slim crescent appears low in the west after sunset and grows a little each evening. "Waxing" means the lit portion is increasing. The faint glow sometimes visible on the dark part is earthshine — sunlight reflected off Earth onto the Moon.
First quarter
Half the disc is now lit — the right half as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. It is called a "quarter" because the Moon has completed a quarter of its orbit, not because a quarter is lit. It rises around midday and sets around midnight, so it is easy to see in the afternoon and evening.
Waxing gibbous
Between first quarter and full, more than half the disc is lit and the bright area keeps expanding each night. "Gibbous" simply means bulging — more than half but not yet full.
Full moon
At full moon the Earth lies roughly between the Sun and Moon, so we see the entire lit face. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, staying up all night. This is the phase most tied to folklore — and the one most studied for any effect on sleep.
Waning gibbous
After full moon the lit area starts to shrink — "waning". The gibbous Moon now rises later each night, well after sunset, and is often most obvious in the morning sky.
Last quarter
Half lit again, but now the left half (from the Northern Hemisphere), the mirror image of first quarter. It rises around midnight and is high in the sky at dawn. Also called third quarter.
Waning crescent
A shrinking crescent visible low in the east before sunrise. Each morning it is thinner, until the Moon is lost in the Sun's glare and a new moon begins the cycle again.
These are the phases and their cycle positions, not calendar dates. For the exact date of the next full moon where you live, check an astronomical almanac.
Source: Standard astronomy references on lunar phases. · checked 2026-09-04
Frequently asked questions
What are the eight moon phases in order?
New moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter and waning crescent — then back to new moon.
What is the difference between waxing and waning?
Waxing means the lit part is growing toward full; waning means it is shrinking toward new. Gibbous means more than half lit, crescent less than half.
Track your sleep, phase by phase
TempoLife logs your sleep so you can see for yourself whether anything — the Moon included — moves it.