Waning Gibbous

Last Quarter

Waning Crescent

During the second half of the lunar month, the Moon grows thinner each night. The amount of lighted area we see decreases, and the darkened area increases from right to left from our perspective on Earth. We call this waning.  Its shape is still gibbous at this point, but grows a little thinner each night. As it reaches the three-quarter point in its month, the Moon once again shows us one side of its disc illuminated and the other side in darkness. However, the side that we saw dark at the first quarter phase is now the lit side.  As it completes its journey and approaches new moon again, the Moon is a waning crescent. The orbital cycle we started about a month ago continues all over again!