Phases of moon where it appears to shrink 8.E.4B.4
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waxing
waning
new
quarter
The phases of the moon where it appears to shrink are:
1. Waxing Crescent: This is the phase immediately after the new moon when only a small curved sliver of the moon is visible.
2. First Quarter: This is the phase when half of the moon's surface appears to be illuminated and the other half is in shadow. It is called the "first quarter" because it marks the completion of the first quarter of the lunar cycle.
3. Waxing Gibbous: This is the phase when more than half of the moon's surface is illuminated, but it is still not fully illuminated.
4. Full Moon: This is not a shrinking phase, but it is worth mentioning as it is the point when the moon is fully illuminated and appears as a complete circle.
After the full moon, the moon enters the shrinking phases, known as the waning phases:
5. Waning Gibbous: This is the phase when more than half of the moon's surface is still illuminated, but it begins to appear smaller as it moves towards the last quarter.
6. Last Quarter: This is the phase when half of the moon's surface appears to be illuminated and the other half is in shadow for the second time in the lunar cycle. It is called the "last quarter" because it marks the completion of the last quarter of the lunar cycle.
7. Waning Crescent: This is the phase immediately before the new moon when only a small curved sliver of the moon is visible, similar to the waxing crescent.
These phases repeat in a cyclical pattern throughout the lunar month.