Moon on October 3, 2014
Waxing gibbous
Visible: 69% ↑
Age: 9 days
What is a waxing gibbous moon? The waxing gibbous moon, is defined to occur when the Moon appears to be more than one-half but not fully illuminated by direct sunlight. Because the fraction of the Moon’s disk that is illuminated is increasing, we consider the Moon to be “waxing.” Each new lunar cycle is measured beginning at each new moon and the waxing crescent moon occurs when the Moon is more than one-quarter but less than one-half of the way around the sky (i.e., along its orbit) from new moon.
Moon on October 3, 2014
Waxing gibbous
Visible: 69% ↑
Age: 9 days
What is a waxing gibbous moon? The waxing gibbous moon, is defined to occur when the Moon appears to be more than one-half but not fully illuminated by direct sunlight. Because the fraction of the Moon’s disk that is illuminated is increasing, we consider the Moon to be “waxing.” Each new lunar cycle is measured beginning at each new moon and the waxing crescent moon occurs when the Moon is more than one-quarter but less than one-half of the way around the sky (i.e., along its orbit) from new moon.