MOON PHASES IN ORDER FULL

Every two weeks, we have to look in the opposite direction to see the Moon, and the ground beneath our feet is then tilted the opposite way as well. There are four principle lunar phases in the western culture, known as the New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Third Quarter. The tilted ramp works the same as the tilted “platform” of the Earth beneath our feet. If you turn around, the horizon appears to tilt the opposite way. In front of you, the horizon looks higher on the right and lower on the left. Earth has a tilt of 23.5 degrees on its axis, which means that when we observe the Moon from Earth, it’s a little like we’re standing sideways on a ramp. The tilt of the Moon’s orbit contributes to this, but it’s mostly due to the tilt of our Earth. What's the Moon's phase today With our 2023 Moon Phase Calendar, you'll find the current Moon phase for tonightplus, all the phases of the Moon for each day of the month. Learn more about rotation, revolution and this repeatable pattern using NASA animations. We call this motion “libration in latitude.”įinally, the Moon appears to tilt back and forth like a metronome. Home Moon Phase Calendar for 2023 See Moon Phases and Dates By Location Today's Moon is 92 of Full and 13 days old. What causes the phases of the Moon From New Moon to Full Moon, the Earth-Sun-Moon system is responsible for the Moon's changing phases. The 5 degree tilt of the Moon’s orbit also causes it to appear to nod, as though it were saying “yes.” The tilt sometimes brings the Moon above Earth’s northern hemisphere, and sometimes below Earth’s southern hemisphere, allowing us to see slightly more of the northern or southern hemispheres of the Moon. We call this motion “libration in longitude.” When the Moon is farthest from Earth and orbiting at its slowest, its rotation gets a little ahead, and we see a bit more of its western side. When the Moon is at its closest to Earth and moving most quickly along its orbital path, the Moon itself doesn’t rotate quite fast enough to keep entirely the same side facing us, and we get to see a little more of the eastern side of the Moon. The Moon’s rate of rotation around its own axis, though, always stays the same. Because the Moon's orbit is not perfectly circular, its distance from Earth and its speed in orbit both change slightly throughout the month.

Moon phases in order