Moon Memory Tricks

First Quarter Waxing Gibbous Waxing Crescent Full Moon New Moon Waning Crescent Waning Gibbous Last Quarter

a counterclockwise direction. The moon’s light is always increasing The moon must travel in a counterclockwise direction. The moon’s light is always increasing as it moves away from the sun.

From the new moon to the full moon the moon gets brighter each day

Waxing " Wax " on The waxing moon is getting brighter and brighter every day

The moon’s light is always decreasing as it moves toward the sun.

From the full moon to the new moon, the moon gets dimmer each day

" Wane " off Waning A waning moon is getting dimmer and dimmer every day. " Wane " off Waning

Waxing Gibbous Waning Gibbous To remember that the Gibbous moon is more Than ½ the side of the moon Waxing Gibbous Waning Gibbous THINK: “Gibb ous MORE” !!

To determine if the moon is waxing or waning, draw a stick beginning at the bottom of the phase you see in the sky upward. The letter will be made with the lit side of the Moon.

N S When the moon makes a “smile”, and you can’t tell where to draw the stick to make a “b” or “d”, find North or South. Start you stick in the South and extend it into infinity and see which letter you made. N S

In this case, the lines make a letter “d” showing that the moon is on the Decrease or waning. N S "d" = decrease !

Near = New Far = Full

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30   Lunar cycle is 29.5 days

Each moon phase last about 3.5 days 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 17 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30   Each moon phase last about 3.5 days

Dark side (far side) of the Moon The moon revolves around the Earth and rotates on its axis at the same rate, so only nearside of the moon is permanently facing the Earth. The nearside of the moon is what is illuminated during a full moon.