How long can we see a waning Crescent Moon?

The illuminated part continues to grow into a Waxing Gibbous Moon, until 14–15 days into the cycle, we see the entire face of the Moon lit up at Full Moon. The illuminated part then gradually shrinks into a Waning Gibbous Moon, and when it reaches Third Quarter, the opposite half from the First Quarter is illuminated. read more

By Friday morning, March 16, the moon will become difficult to see before dawn from Earth’s Northern Hemisphere. But this is a wonderful time of year to look for a very old moon – a very slim waning crescent that’s near the sunrise – as dawn is breaking across Earth’s Southern Hemisphere. read more

Determining whether the moon is waxing or waning can tell you a lot about what phase it’s in, how the tides will move, and where the moon is in relation to the Earth and the sun. It’s also helpful to know where the moon rises and sets during its different phases, in case you want to see it on a particular night. read more