Which Moon phase shows exactly half of the near side illuminated and is increasing?

Which Moon phase shows exactly half of the near side illuminated and is increasing?

• A. First Quarter Moon
• B. New Moon
• C. Waxing Gibbous Moon
• D. Full Moon

Answer: (A)

Moon phases reflect how much of the Moon’s near side is lit by the Sun as it orbits Earth. Exactly half of the near side illuminated and the illumination increasing corresponds to the Moon being one-quarter of the way through its cycle after the New Moon. That phase is the first quarter: half of the Moon’s near side is lit, and the illuminated portion is growing, so the phase is waxing. In the Northern Hemisphere you’ll see the right half lit; in the Southern Hemisphere it appears the left half, but it’s still increasing toward a Full Moon. New Moon is almost no illumination, waxing gibbous is more than half but not exactly half, and Full Moon is fully illuminated and then starts to wane.

Moon phases reflect how much of the Moon’s near side is lit by the Sun as it orbits Earth. Exactly half of the near side illuminated and the illumination increasing corresponds to the Moon being one-quarter of the way through its cycle after the New Moon. That phase is the first quarter: half of the Moon’s near side is lit, and the illuminated portion is growing, so the phase is waxing. In the Northern Hemisphere you’ll see the right half lit; in the Southern Hemisphere it appears the left half, but it’s still increasing toward a Full Moon. New Moon is almost no illumination, waxing gibbous is more than half but not exactly half, and Full Moon is fully illuminated and then starts to wane.