The other side of the Moon is dark. The position of the Moon and the Sun during Each of the Moon's phases and the Moon as it appears from Earth during each phase. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech On Earth, our view of the illuminated part of the Moon changes each night, depending on where the Moon is in its orbit, or path, around Earth.
The Moon goes through eight moon phases as it orbits Earth. Each moon phase shows a different percentage of the Moon illuminated by the Sun. There are eight phases in the lunar cycle and the moon is in one of them every night.
What are these phases of the moon? There are eight different moon phases and a handful of other moon types. From new moon to supermoon, we expand on the mysteries of the lunar calendar. The Moon has four primary and four intermediate lunar phases during a lunar month.
Here's all you need to know about each phase of the lunar cycle. Learn about the 8 phases of the moon. See how they work and learn which phase occurs during a lunar eclipse.
The Moon goes through a cycle of eight distinct phases as it orbits Earth, each offering a unique view of its illuminated surface. When is the next full moon? The next full moon will be on Sunday, September 7. Night after night - and sometimes day after day - you'll see the Moon take a slightly different shape in the sky.
These different shapes are called the phases of the Moon, and they change with a regular pattern over a period of about 30 days. The Moon phases are commonly known as lunar phases, and they represent the different shapes the Moon takes when it is illuminated by the Sun as viewed from Earth. These lunar phases change regularly throughout the synodic month - every 29.53 days, as the positions of the Earth and Moon around the Sun shift.
Phases Animation of the moon phases A phase is an angle of the Moon to the Earth so it appears differently every day. The Moon goes through eight main phases. A new moon is when the moon cannot be seen because we are looking at the unlit half of the Moon.
The new moon phase occurs when the Moon is directly between the Earth and Sun.