Waxing Gibbous Moon Rising January 3, 2021 Live
A waxing gibbous moon is in the sky when darkness falls. It lights up the early evening. It appears more than half lighted, but less than full.
People often see a waxing gibbous moon in the afternoon, shortly after moonrise, while it’s ascending in the east as the sun is descending in the west. It’s easy to see a waxing gibbous moon in the daytime because, at this phase of the moon, a respectably large fraction of the moon’s dayside faces our way.
There are four principal lunar phases: the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter (also known as third or final quarter), when the Moon's ecliptic longitude is at an angle to the Sun (as viewed from Earth) of 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, respectively.[a] Each of these phases appears at slightly different times at different locations on Earth. During the intervals between principal phases are intermediate phases, during which the Moon's apparent shape is either crescent or gibbous. On average, the intermediate phases last one-quarter of a synodic month, or 7.38 days. The descriptor waxing is used for an intermediate phase when the Moon's apparent shape is thickening, from new to a full moon, and waning when the shape is thinning. The longest duration between full moon to new moon (or new moon to full moon) lasts about 15 days and 14.5 hours, while the shortest duration between full moon to new moon (or new moon to full moon) lasts only about 13 days and 22.5 hours.
New Moon appears higher on summer solstice than on winter solstice.
First Quarter Moon appears higher on spring equinox than on autumnal (fall) equinox.
Full Moon appears higher on winter solstice than on summer solstice.
Last Quarter Moon appears higher on autumnal (fall) equinox than on spring equinox.
Waxing Crescent Moon appears higher on mid-spring (May 5 in the Northern Hemisphere or November 7 in the Southern Hemisphere) than on mid-autumn (November 7 in the Northern Hemisphere or May 5 in the Southern Hemisphere).
Waxing Gibbous Moon appears higher on mid-winter (February 4 in the Northern Hemisphere or August 7 in the Southern Hemisphere) than on mid-summer (August 7 in the Northern Hemisphere or February 4 in the Southern Hemisphere).
Waning Gibbous Moon appears higher on mid-autumn (November 7 in the Northern Hemisphere or May 5 in the Southern Hemisphere) than on mid-spring (May 5 in the Northern Hemisphere or November 7 in the Southern Hemisphere).
Waning Crescent Moon appears higher on mid-summer (August 7 in the Northern Hemisphere or February 4 in the Southern Hemisphere) than on mid-winter (February 4 in the Northern Hemisphere or August 7 in the Southern Hemisphere).
When the Sun and Moon are aligned on the same side of the Earth, the Moon is "new", and the side of the Moon facing Earth is not illuminated by the Sun. As the Moon waxes (the amount of illuminated surface as seen from Earth is increasing), the lunar phases progress through new moon, crescent moon, first-quarter moon, gibbous moon, and full moon. The
People often see a waxing gibbous moon in the afternoon, shortly after moonrise, while it’s ascending in the east as the sun is descending in the west. It’s easy to see a waxing gibbous moon in the daytime because, at this phase of the moon, a respectably large fraction of the moon’s dayside faces our way.
There are four principal lunar phases: the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter (also known as third or final quarter), when the Moon's ecliptic longitude is at an angle to the Sun (as viewed from Earth) of 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°, respectively.[a] Each of these phases appears at slightly different times at different locations on Earth. During the intervals between principal phases are intermediate phases, during which the Moon's apparent shape is either crescent or gibbous. On average, the intermediate phases last one-quarter of a synodic month, or 7.38 days. The descriptor waxing is used for an intermediate phase when the Moon's apparent shape is thickening, from new to a full moon, and waning when the shape is thinning. The longest duration between full moon to new moon (or new moon to full moon) lasts about 15 days and 14.5 hours, while the shortest duration between full moon to new moon (or new moon to full moon) lasts only about 13 days and 22.5 hours.
New Moon appears higher on summer solstice than on winter solstice.
First Quarter Moon appears higher on spring equinox than on autumnal (fall) equinox.
Full Moon appears higher on winter solstice than on summer solstice.
Last Quarter Moon appears higher on autumnal (fall) equinox than on spring equinox.
Waxing Crescent Moon appears higher on mid-spring (May 5 in the Northern Hemisphere or November 7 in the Southern Hemisphere) than on mid-autumn (November 7 in the Northern Hemisphere or May 5 in the Southern Hemisphere).
Waxing Gibbous Moon appears higher on mid-winter (February 4 in the Northern Hemisphere or August 7 in the Southern Hemisphere) than on mid-summer (August 7 in the Northern Hemisphere or February 4 in the Southern Hemisphere).
Waning Gibbous Moon appears higher on mid-autumn (November 7 in the Northern Hemisphere or May 5 in the Southern Hemisphere) than on mid-spring (May 5 in the Northern Hemisphere or November 7 in the Southern Hemisphere).
Waning Crescent Moon appears higher on mid-summer (August 7 in the Northern Hemisphere or February 4 in the Southern Hemisphere) than on mid-winter (February 4 in the Northern Hemisphere or August 7 in the Southern Hemisphere).
When the Sun and Moon are aligned on the same side of the Earth, the Moon is "new", and the side of the Moon facing Earth is not illuminated by the Sun. As the Moon waxes (the amount of illuminated surface as seen from Earth is increasing), the lunar phases progress through new moon, crescent moon, first-quarter moon, gibbous moon, and full moon. The