Waxing
The sunlit portion we see grows from new Moon toward full Moon.
03 / Cultural orbit
One Moon, many calendars
The visible phase changes as the Moon travels around Earth. The lunar month is a shared natural rhythm with different cultural meanings and observances.
Phase explorer · average cycle model
New Moon
Day 27.9 of an approximately 29.5-day cycle · 3% illuminated
NEWFIRST QUARTERFULLLAST QUARTERNEW
New Moon
Waxing Crescent
First Quarter
Waxing Gibbous
Full Moon
Waning Gibbous
Last Quarter
Waning Crescent
Waning
The visible sunlit portion shrinks from full Moon back toward new Moon.
Far side
The far side is not permanently dark; it receives sunlight as the Moon rotates.
Tidal lock
The Moon rotates once per orbit, so nearly the same hemisphere faces Earth.
The phase slider uses a mean 29.53-day cycle for teaching. It is not a JPL Horizons prediction or a crescent-sighting calendar. NASA describes the phase sequence and cycle duration in its Moon phases guide .