From New Moon to Full Moon: Understanding the 8 Moon Phases

If you are interested in Hindu mythology, there is a fascinating story behind the waning phase of the moon called the waxing and waning of Chandra.

In the Mahabharata, specifically in the Shalya Parva, Daksha curses Chandra for treating his wife Rohini more favorably than his other 27 wives.

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Due to this curse, Chandra contracted Kshayaroga (a wasting disease), which caused him to become physically weak and lose his vitality.

Another important account involves Lord Ganesha. At the end of a feast, Ganesha fell from his mount and the food spilled. Chandra laughed at him, which angered Ganesha.

In retaliation, Ganesha cursed Chandra to lose his beauty and radiance. However, after Chandala begged for mercy, Ganesha modified the curse so that Chandala’s light would gradually increase and decrease, rather than losing its light completely.

This is just one dimension of the moon’s decline. However, there is another dimension to the moon’s waxing and waning cycle. Can you guess it? This is the science part.

The scientific explanation for the phases of the moon is that different parts of the moon are illuminated at different times due to its position relative to the Earth and the Sun.

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So are you ready to learn about the different phases of the moon and how they occur? Let’s explore the fascinating science behind the changes in the moon’s appearance throughout its cycle.

What are the differences between moon phases?

The moon goes through eight distinct phases during its approximately 29.5-day lunar cycle. These phases are caused by the moon’s orbit around the Earth and the way sunlight hits its surface. Here are the different phases of the moon:

Moon phases

1. New Moon: The Moon is located between the Earth and the Sun and is not visible from Earth because the sunlit side faces away from us.
2. Waxing Crescent: As the Moon orbits, a small portion of it begins to illuminate, taking on the shape of a gradually growing crescent.
3. First Quarter: Half of the lunar surface is illuminated, looking like half a moon. This happens about a week after the new moon.
4. Waxing Gibbous Moon: As the Moon continues to wax toward full Moon, more than half of the Moon’s surface is illuminated.
5. Full Moon: When the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, the entire surface of the Moon is illuminated.
6. Waning Gibbous Moon: After the full moon, the illuminated part begins to decrease, but more than half is still visible.
7. First Quarter Moon (Third Quarter): Again, half of the Moon’s surface is visible, but this time it’s the half opposite the first quarter.
8. Waning Crescent Moon: As the Moon continues to wane, a small ray of new Moon light is still visible until it returns to its New Moon phase.

These phases reflect how much of the sunlit side of the Moon we can see from Earth, and change daily as the Earth and Moon move in their respective orbits.

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What causes the different phases of the moon?

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

The Moon’s different phases are caused by its orbit around the Earth and the relative positions of the Moon, Earth, and Sun. Here’s a detailed explanation:

1. Illumination from the Sun: The moon itself does not emit light; instead, it reflects sunlight. As the Moon orbits the Earth, different parts of its illuminated side are visible from our perspective on Earth.
2. Orbital Positioning: The Moon takes approximately 29.5 days to complete the phases of a cycle, transitioning into the eight main phases.
3. Tidal Locking: Due to tidal locking, the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, meaning we only see changes in the visibility of its illuminated side.
4. Cycle Duration: The Moon takes approximately 27.3 days to orbit the Earth, while a lunar month (from one new moon to the next) lasts approximately 29.5 days due to the Earth’s motion around the Sun.

Are there different types of moons?

Yes, there are different kinds of moons, especially full moons, and they have different names and characteristics depending on their appearance or time of day. Here are some well-known satellite types:

Type of satellite

1. Full Moon: This occurs when the entire surface of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun, making it fully visible from Earth.
2. Supermoon: A supermoon appears larger and brighter than a typical full moon because it occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit (perigee).
3. Micromoon: The opposite of a supermoon, when the moon is at its furthest point from Earth (apogee), it appears smaller and dimmer.
4. Blood Moon: This term refers to the reddish appearance of the moon during a total lunar eclipse. During this event, the Earth’s shadow covered the Moon, giving it a reddish appearance from remaining light refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere.
5. Blue Moon: A blue moon is not blue. It refers to the second full moon occurring within a single calendar month or the third full moon in a season of four full moons.
6. Harvest Moon: The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. Historically, it provided farmers with extra light to harvest crops at night.
7. Wolf Moon: This is the name of the first full moon in January because the howls of wolves can be heard on winter nights.
8. Snow Moon: The full moon in February is known as the Snow Moon due to the heavy snowfall.
9. Worm Moon: Occurs in March, the name comes from the earthworms that appear when the soil begins to thaw.
10. Pink Moon: April’s full moon is named for the pink wildflowers that bloom at this time, not because it looks pink.
11. Strawberry Moon: June’s full moon is named for the strawberry harvest season.
12. Buck Moon: This July’s full moon marks the time when stags (male deer) begin to grow antlers.
13. Sturgeon Moon: Named for the abundance of fish in August, this full moon was of great significance to Native American tribes.
14. Corn Moon: This September’s full moon coincides with corn harvest season.
15. Hunter’s Moon: Hunter’s Moon occurs in October and marks the beginning of the hunting season. It provides light for hunters to stalk their prey on autumn nights.
16. Frost Moon: The November full moon marks the arrival of frost and cold weather.
17. Cold Moon: December’s full moon is called the Long Night Moon and occurs on the longest night of the year.

How does the Moon’s distance from Earth affect its appearance?

Source: space.com

The Moon’s distance from Earth significantly affects its appearance, primarily in terms of size and brightness. Here’s how this phenomenon works:

1) Perigee and apogee

• Perigee: This is the closest point in the Moon’s orbit to the Earth, at a distance of approximately 363,104 kilometers (225,623 miles). When the Moon is at perigee, it appears larger and brighter in the sky and is often called a “supermoon.” This effect can make the Moon appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than at its farthest point.
• Apogee: Conversely, apogee is when the Moon is at its furthest from Earth, about 405,696 kilometers (252,088 miles). At this distance, the Moon appears smaller and dimmer than at perigee.

2) Optical illusion

The moon illusion also affects how we perceive the size of the moon. When the moon is near the horizon, it often appears larger than when it is high in the sky, due to psychological effects rather than a change in actual size. This illusion occurs because our brains interpret the moon’s size relative to objects on the horizon.

3) Atmospheric effects

The moon’s appearance is also affected by atmospheric conditions. When the Moon is below the horizon, its light passes through more of Earth’s atmosphere, scattering shorter blue wavelengths and making it appear more yellow or orange. This atmospheric scattering does not change its physical dimensions, but it changes its visual characteristics.

orbital dynamics

The Moon’s elliptical orbit causes changes in distance that subtly affect its apparent size and brightness over time. These changes are relatively small, but can be noticeable during certain events like a supermoon or when observing a lunar eclipse.

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Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Optical Illusion