UNDERSTANDING HOW THE MOON PHASES COME ABOUT


Without the sun the moon would always be dark and inward.  With her
varied
reflections of the sun comes balance.  Balance between the quiet
introspective times and the outward active times.

It is interesting to think about the fact that it does not matter
where the
moon is in the sky but rather where she is in relationship to the sun.
Because of this people all around the world will be experiencing the
same
moon phase at the same time.  Although half of the moon is always lit
up by
the sun, from our perspective here on earth the moon is ever changing.

When the sun and moon rise and set together we cannot see the moon's
face.
She is traveling between us and the sun so nothing is reflected  
toward the
earth. We think of this as the dark moon. As she waxes (increases) to
a half
moon she is coming up about 6 hours after the sun so only half  of her
reflection can be seen from our earth.  But at full moon time she is
traveling opposite the sun and we see her full reflection.  Then as
she
wanes (gets smaller) we see less and less of her reflection until we
see
none at all at the time of the dark or new moon.

Each day the moon rises about an hour later as it will travel its
complete
cycle in about 29 1/2 days. Knowing this can help us know were to
look for
her each day.  For example one day after the full moon look for her
to come
up about an hour after the sun goes down.

This information on the individual phases is a repeat from what is
written
with each moon phase, but I thought it would be helpful to see it all
together.

NEW MOON (DARK)

We consider it to be the new moon up to 3 1/2 days after the official
new
moon. She rises around dawn, sets around sunset.

Because she is between the sun and the earth nothing or very little is
reflected and for a few days the moon is lost in the brilliance of
the sun.

As the sun and moon are on the same side of the earth the pull on us
is the
strongest. Because the sun, moon and earth are all in a straight line
this
creates a time when the high tide is higher and the low tide is lower
than
usual.

WAXING CRESCENT MOON

The waxing crescent moon occurs 3 1/2 to 7 days after the new moon.  
She
rises in the mid morning and sets in the evening.

The moons light is quickening.  As the moon has dropped back until
she is
about 1/8 th of the way behind the sun and we see her lumination as a
crescent shape.

FIRST QUARTER MOON (WAXING)

You will see the first quarter moon from 7 to 10 1/2 days after the
new
moon.  She will rise around noon and set around midnight.

As the moon is at a right angle to the sun the difference between
high and
low tide is minimized. Because light and dark are in balance the moon
will
appear to be a half moon but the area of light will continue to grow
each
day.

WAXING GIBBOUS MOON

The waxing gibbous moon occurs between 10 1/2 and 14 days after the
new
moon.  She rises sometime in the mid afternoon and sets in the early
dark
hours of the morning.

As the moon has fallen back around 3/8 of the way behind the sun one
side of
the moon is seen fully, the light on the other side bulges out but
does not
yet fill all of the moon's face.

FULL MOON

About 15 days after the after the new moon the full moon first
appears.  At
this point the moon is on the opposite side of the earth from the sun
so she
rises around sunset and sets around dawn.

The sun shines fully on her face and tides are at their extremes
again.
Some may sense the pull of the sun from one direction and the moon
from the
opposite and their energy and will feel a bit scattered.

WANING GIBBOUS MOON (DISSEMINATING)

The waning gibbous or disseminating moon appears 3 1/2 days to 7 days
after
the full moon.  The moon will rise during the evening and set
sometime mid
morning.

Again we see the bulge on one side of the moon but it is now
decreasing each
day. Darkness is slowly moving in.  Waning is underway.

LAST QUARTER MOON (WANING)

The waning last quarter moon appears between 7 and 10 1/2 days after
the
full moon.  She rises near midnight and sets near noon.

Because of the return to a right angle between the sun and moon the
variation between tides is at its low again.   There is once again a
balance
between light and dark but the dark will soon overcome the light.

WANING CRESCENT MOON (BALSAMIC)

The Waning crescent or balsamic moon occurs between 10 1/2 days after
the
full moon up until the new moon. The moon rises in the dark hours of
the
morning and sets in the afternoon.

Again we see the moon as a beautiful crescent but it is rapidly
diminishing
into darkness.  Preparing for another  27 1/2 day lunar cycle.

And I do believe that we are having a Lunar eclipse on the 27th-28th from 12pm to 12pm BE SURE  to catch it                             Lady and Raven