The moon is beginning to make a reappearance as we enter a brand new section of the lunar cycle.
The lunar cycle is a sequence of eight distinctive phases of the moon’s visibility. The entire cycle takes about 29.5 days, in accordance with NASA, and these totally different phases occur because the Solar lights up totally different components of the moon while it orbits Earth.
So let’s examine what’s taking place with the moon tonight, Aug. 24.
What’s in the present day’s moon section?
As of Sunday, Aug. 24, the moon section is Waxing Crescent, and solely 2% can be lit as much as us on Earth, in accordance with NASA’s Each day Moon Statement.
There’s nonetheless not sufficient of the moon lit up tonight to see something on its floor, so eager moon gazers might want to wait a number of extra days.
When is the following full moon?
The subsequent full moon can be on Sept. 7. The final full moon was on Aug. 9.
What are moon phases?
In accordance with NASA, moon phases are attributable to the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which modifications the angles between the Solar, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon appears to be like from Earth because it goes round us. We all the time see the identical aspect of the moon, however how a lot of it’s lit up by the Solar modifications relying on the place it’s in its orbit. That is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that seem utterly invisible. There are eight primary moon phases, and so they observe a repeating cycle:
Mashable Mild Velocity
New Moon – The moon is between Earth and the solar, so the aspect we see is darkish (in different phrases, it is invisible to the attention).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of sunshine seems on the fitting aspect (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the moon is lit on the fitting aspect. It appears to be like like a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous – Greater than half is lit up, however it’s not fairly full but.
Full Moon – The entire face of the moon is illuminated and totally seen.
Waning Gibbous – The moon begins shedding mild on the fitting aspect.
Final Quarter (or Third Quarter) – One other half-moon, however now the left aspect is lit.
Waning Crescent – A skinny sliver of sunshine stays on the left aspect earlier than going darkish once more.
