What do we call it when only half the Moon looks lit?

What do we call it when only half the Moon looks lit?

first quarter moon
The crescent Moon waxes, or appears to grow fatter, each night. When half of the Moon’s disc is illuminated, we call it the first quarter moon.

What is the edge of the Moon called?

lunar limb
The lunar limb is the edge of the visible surface (disc) of the Moon as viewed from Earth. Libration of the Moon, with its irregular surface, leads to small changes in its profile; this complicates the task of precisely calculating eclipse times and durations.

What side of the Moon is lit during waxing phases?

right side
A waxing moon will be illuminated on the right side, and a waning moon will be illuminated on the left side.

What is the lit portion of the Moon?

The different shapes of the lit portion of the Moon that can be seen from Earth are known as phases of the Moon. Each phase repeats itself every 29.5 days.

Why is the moon only a sliver?

The moon shines because its surface reflects light from the sun. At any given point in the moon’s trajectory around the Earth, only half of its surface is facing the sun, and therefore, only half of the moon is lit up. The other half of the surface faces away from the sun and is in shadow.

What are the moon phases called?

Astronomers recognize four primary moon phases (new, first quarter, full, last quarter) and four interstitial phases (waxing crescent, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous waning crescent).

Which is the side of the Moon that is lit by the Sun?

The side lit by the Sun is always the side that is pointed toward the Sun, as seen in the diagram below on the left. We only see the Moon because sunlight reflects back to us from its surface. During the course of a month, the Moon circles once around the Earth.

Which is part of the Moon is fully illuminated?

Waning Gibbous – In this lunar phase, the Moon is less than fully illuminated, but more than half. Last Quarter – At this point of the lunar cycle, the Moon has reached half illumination. Now it’s the left-hand side of the Moon that’s illuminated, and the right-hand side in darkness (from a northern hemisphere perspective).

When does the new phase of the Moon occur?

New phase occurs when the Sun and Moon are on the same side of the Earth and we see only the dark side. On that day the Sun and Moon rise and set approximately together. The new moon is visible all day long. Waxing Crescent phase occurs when the western edge of the Moon is lit but most of the surface visible from Earth is dark.

When does the third quarter of the Moon occur?

Third Quarter phase occurs when the eastern half of the Moon is illuminated. On that day it rises at midnight and sets at noon. Waning Crescent phase occurs when the eastern edge of the Moon is lit but most of the visible surface is dark. The amount of illumination is decreasing from day to day which is what is meant by “waning.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cFLhim9ej0