Moon cycle

Moon cycle

The celestial dance of the moon as it orbits the Earth, taking approximately 29.5 days to complete one full cycle, is punctuated by its mesmerizing display of different phases - from the eerie new moon to the brilliantly radiant full moon.
These phases are an awe-inspiring spectacle, the result of the interplay between the sun's illumination and the moon's position relative to the Earth. As the moon travels through its orbit, the varying amount of its surface that is lit by the sun creates a rhythmic progression of phases - from the barely visible waxing crescent, to the half-lit first quarter, to the near full waxing gibbous, to the fullest expression of the full moon, followed by the waning gibbous, last quarter, and finally the waning crescent.

The Moon phases

An ever-changing lunar tapestry unfolds as the moon moves through its eight phases - from the faint sliver of the new moon, to the waxing crescent's gradual growth, to the sharply defined first quarter, to the waxing gibbous' almost complete illumination. The full moon then takes center stage, only to give way to the waning gibbous, the third quarter's decrease in light, and finally the waning crescent's gentle descent into darkness.