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What is a New Moon?

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A New Moon is the phase of the moon when it is not visible from Earth because it is positioned between the Earth and the Sun.

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What is a Full Moon?

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A Full Moon is the phase of the moon when it is fully illuminated as seen from Earth, occurring when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon.

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What is a 1st Quarter Moon?

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A 1st Quarter Moon is the phase when half of the moon is illuminated and visible from Earth, occurring about a week after the New Moon.

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What is a 3rd Quarter Moon?

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A 3rd Quarter Moon is the phase when the opposite half of the moon is illuminated compared to the 1st Quarter, occurring about three weeks after the New Moon.

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What is a Waxing Crescent Moon?

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A Waxing Crescent Moon is the phase after the New Moon when a small sliver of the moon becomes visible, increasing in illumination.

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What is a Waxing Gibbous Moon?

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A Waxing Gibbous Moon is the phase when more than half of the moon is illuminated but it is not yet a Full Moon.

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What is a Waning Crescent Moon?

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A Waning Crescent Moon is the phase after the Full Moon when the visible illumination is decreasing, leading up to the New Moon.

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What is a Waning Gibbous Moon?

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A Waning Gibbous Moon is the phase after the Full Moon when the illumination is decreasing but more than half of the moon is still visible.

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How does the moon's position affect its phases?

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The moon's phases are caused by its position relative to the Earth and the Sun, affecting how much of its surface is illuminated.

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What is the cycle of moon phases called?

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The cycle of moon phases is called a lunar cycle, which lasts about 29.5 days.