None of the Moon's other phases have this unique characteristic.
When the Moon is Full, it rises at sunset and is visible all night long.Īt the end of the night, the Full Moon sets just as the Sun rises. The Full Moon is popularly known as the phase of love and romance. In comparison, the Full Moon phase occurs mid-way through the lunar month. The New Moon phase is uniquely recognized as the beginning of each calendar month just as it is the beginning on the Moon's monthly cycle. The Hebrew, Muslim and Chinese calendars are all lunar calendars. In fact, some calendars are synchronized to the phases of the Moon. Many early civilizations used the Moon's monthly cycle to measure the passage of time. The rest of the phases are familiar to all of us as the Moon cycles through them month after month.ĭid you realize that the word month is derived from the Moon's 29.5 day period? The phase known as New Moon can not actually be seen because the illuminated side of the Moon is then pointed away from Earth.
Waning Gibbous > Last Quarter > Old Crescent > New Moon (again)