Moon Phases

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What is a Full Moon?

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A Full Moon occurs when the Moon is fully illuminated by the Sun, appearing as a complete circle in the sky.

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What is a New Moon?

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A New Moon occurs when the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, making it invisible from Earth.

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What is a Waxing Crescent Moon?

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A Waxing Crescent Moon is the phase after a New Moon, where a small sliver of the Moon becomes visible, increasing in size.

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What is a Waxing Gibbous Moon?

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A Waxing Gibbous Moon is the phase after the First Quarter, where more than half of the Moon is illuminated and increasing.

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What is a Waning Gibbous Moon?

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A Waning Gibbous Moon is the phase after a Full Moon, where the illuminated part of the Moon is decreasing but still more than half.

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What is a Third Quarter Moon?

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A Third Quarter Moon occurs when half of the Moon is illuminated and is decreasing in size, following the Waning Gibbous.

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What is a Waning Crescent Moon?

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A Waning Crescent Moon is the phase after the Third Quarter, where a small sliver of the Moon is visible and decreasing.

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What is the order of the Moon phases?

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The order of the Moon phases is: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, Waning Crescent.

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How long does it take for the Moon to complete one cycle of phases?

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It takes approximately 29.5 days for the Moon to complete one full cycle of phases.

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What causes the different Moon phases?

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The different Moon phases are caused by the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, affecting how much of the Moon's surface is illuminated.