Understanding the moon’s phases and its position in the sky in relation to the sun adds a great deal to our appreciation of the changing days, months and seasons. The longer, more comfortable evenings of early spring are ideal for moon-watching. Like the sun, the moon appears to rise in the east and set in the west. It follows roughly the same path as the sun through the sky and is visible during the day as much as at night.
Unlike the sun, however, the moon rises each day an average of 50 minutes later than the day before. We see the moon because it reflects the light of the sun. It takes the moon 29 1/2 days to go through the full cycle of eight distinct phases.
Beside each phase, we’ve included the dates for early April through early May 2024. To see a moon phases calendar, go to spaceweatherlive.com/en/moon-phases-calendar/2024/4.html
New Moon April 9, 2024
The new moon rises and sets with the sun and stays close to it during the day. The moon is between the earth and the sun, so the sun shines only on the far side of the moon making the moon invisible.
Waxing Crescent April 10-15
The moon now rises and sets shortly after the sun and is quite striking in the evening twilight, low in the west. Earthshine (sunlight reflected off the earth, onto the moon and back again to our eyes) dimly illuminates the moon’s surface to the left of the crescent. Looking like the rounded part of a D, the waxing crescent is “Developing” towards the full moon. This phase is poetically described as the moon’s “ashen glow” or the “old moon in the new moon’s arms.” Note, too, that earthshine is most pronounced during April and May.
First Quarter April 16-17
Like the last quarter phase, this is the familiar “half-moon.” It is called a quarter moon, however, because it has completed one quarter of its cycle. A first quarter moon rises around noon and sets around midnight. This is the best moon phase for looking at the moon’s surface through binoculars.
Waxing Gibbous April 18-23
The word gibbous means “like a hump.” The somewhat football-shaped waxing gibbous moon rises late in the day and shines most of the night. Within a few days it looks very similar to the Full Moon.
Full Moon April 24, 2024
The beautiful full moon rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. It often appears like a huge orange ball as it climbs above the eastern horizon in the evening. When it is full, the Moon is on the side of the Earth farthest from the Sun, so the Sun lights up the entire visible side of the Moon. The full moon also appears to be larger at moonrise than when it is riding high in the sky. This isn’t because the moon is any closer than usual. It is simply an illusion. When measured or photographed, the moon is exactly the same size, no matter where it is in the sky.
Waning Gibbous April 25-30
The waning gibbous moon rises after sunset and starts to take on the shape of a football or a C. The moon is “Crumbling” away. You often see this phase in the west in the early morning. It can be quite striking as it almost seems to float against the pale morning sky.
Third (Last) Quarter May 1-2
This “half-moon” phase rises in the middle of the night and sets at mid-day.
Waning Crescent May 3-6
What is left of the crumbling moon rises and sets just before the sun and stays in the sky most of the day. It is exquisitely beautiful at dawn.
Activities
Moon observation
Try to observe the moon each day that the sky is clear. Each time you see the moon in one of the eight phases, draw it in a journal and write down the date and time. If you wish, take a picture of the moon in each phase, print it and glue it in your journal.
Make your own phases
For this activity, you’ll need a strong flashlight, a Styrofoam ball or orange and a pencil. In a dark room, place the light source on a shelf or stepladder at about eye level. Stick the pencil into the orange or ball. Stand facing the light, holding the ball out in front of you at arm’s length and a little higher than your head. You are looking at the New Moon, since only the back of the ball is illuminated. Rotate slowly to the left, keeping the ball in front of you. Soon you will see a little crescent form (Waxing Crescent). Keeping turning until you see the entire right side of the ball illuminated. This is the First Quarter. Rotating a little further, you will see the football-like Waxing Gibbous phase. When your back is to the light, the Full Moon appears. As you carry on, you will be looking at the Waning Gibbous, the Last Quarter and the Waning Crescent. A full rotation brings you back to the invisible New Moon.
Learn a mnemonic
If you’re like we used to be and have trouble telling whether the moon is waxing or waning—
the illuminated portion growing larger or smaller—remember to look for the shape of a “C” (crumbling or waning) or a D (developing or waxing). The following mnemonic may also be of help.
- Light on right, moon soon bright.
- Night on right, moon soon out of sight.
“Light” refers to the illuminated part of the moon; “bright” refers to the full moon; “night” refers to the dark part
of the moon, and “out of sight” is a reference to the
New Moon never being visible.
