The Moon

I am a true moon child, born under the sign of Cancer. Since childhood I have been fascinated with her ever changing face. This page is dedicated to her in her many phases.

The 8 Phases of the Moon
What causes Moon Phases? The same side of the moon always faces earth and the same side of the moon is always lit by the sun. As the moon orbits the earth and the earth orbits the sun, different parts of the moon are visible to us, making the moon appear as if it is growing bigger, then smaller.

Today’s Moon Phase by the U.S. Naval Observatory

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The moon phase information and correspondences below were taught to me by my friend “Judy Summer Earth” along with many other things about the cycles in our universe and life.

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Waxing Crescent Moon (waxing means increasing or growing larger)
Where it is in the sky: The Waxing Crescent Moon is 45 – 90 degrees ahead of the sun, she rises midmorning and sets after sunset. She is the first visible sliver of moon seen in the western sky in the late afternoon and early evening.
Direction: North East
Time of Day: Before Sunrise
Time of Year (Season): Spring Equinox
Time of Life: Infancy

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First Quarter Moon
Where it is in the sky: The First Quarter Moon or Waxing Half Moon is 90 – 135 degrees ahead of sun and rises around noon and sets around midnight. Astrologically, the moon is square to the sun. She is visible from the time she rises until she sets.
Direction: East
Time of Day: Sunrise or a little after.
Time of Year (Season): Beltane
Time of Life: Childhood

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Waxing Gibbous Moon (gibbous means more than half full, waxing means increasing or growing larger)
Where it is in the sky: The Gibbous Moon is 135 – 180 degrees ahead of sun and rises mid afternoon and sets before dawn. She is the bulging moon getting reading to be full, visible soon after she rises until she sets.
Direction: South East
Time of Day: Mid Morning
Time of Year (Season): Summer Solstice
Time of Life: Adolescence

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Full Moon (when the earth is between the sun and the moon)
Where it is in the sky: The Full Moon is 80 -225 degrees ahead of sun and rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. Astrologically, the sun and moon are in opposition (i.e., opposite each other in the sky and in opposite signs of the zodiac). She is visible all night long from moonrise to moon set.
Direction: South
Time of Day: Noon
Time of Year (Season): Lammas
Time of Life: Young Adult

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Waning Gibbous or Disseminating (waning means decreasing or growing smaller)
Where it is in the sky: The Disseminating Moon is 135 – 90 degrees behind the sun and is getting visibly smaller. She rises mid evening and sets midmorning. She is visible from the time she rises almost to the time she sets.
Direction: South West
Time of Day: Afternoon
Season: Autumn Equinox
Time of Life: Middle Adulthood

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Last Quarter Moon
Where it is in the sky: The Last Quarter Moon or Waning Half Moon is 90 – 45 degrees behind the sun and rises around midnight and sets around noon. Astrologically, the moon is square to the sun. She is visible from the time she rises until she sets.
Direction: West
Time of Day: Evening
Season: Samhain, Oct 31
Time of Life: Middle Age

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Waning Crescent or Balsamic
Where it is in the sky: The Balsamic Moon or Waning Crescent Moon is 45 – 1 degree behind sun and rises before dawn and sets mid afternoon. She is the last sliver of moon seen in the eastern sky in the dawn and the very early morning.
Direction: North West
Time of Day: Night
Season: Winter Solstice
Time of Life: Senior

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New or Dark Moon
Where it is in the sky: The New or Dark moon is 0 – 45 degrees in front of the sun We consider it to be the new moon up to 3 ½ days after the official new moon. The New Moon or Dark Moon rises as sunrise and sets at sunset. Astrologically, the sun and the moon are in conjunction. Because the moon is between the sun and the earth nothing or very little is reflected and for a few days the moon is lost in the light of the sun.
Direction: North
Time of Day: Deep Night
Season: Imbolc (mid-winter)
Time of Life: Elder

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Blue Moons
It is possible for there to be a month with two full moons. The second full moon in a month is known as a Blue Moon. Blue moons are a rare occurrence, hence the expression “once in a blue moon.”

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Moon rise times
New Moon – rises at sunrise
First Quarter Moon – rises at noon
Full Moon – rises at sunset
Last Quarter Moon rises at midnight
As the cycle of the moon progresses during the month, the moonrise takes place about 50 minutes later each day than the day before.

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The 13 Moons of the Year, in different traditions

Month	Traditional	Wiccan	Celtic Moon
January	Wolf Moon	Wolf Moon	Birch Moon
February	Snow Moon	Storm Moon	Rowan
March	Worm Moon	Chaste Moon	Ash Moon
April	Pink Moon	Seed Moon	Alder Moon
May	Flower Moon	Hare Moon	Willow Moon
June	Rose Moon	Dyad Moon	Hawthorne Moon
July	Buck Moon	Mead Moon	Oak Moon
August	Sturgeon Moon	Wyrt Moon	Holly Moon
September	Harvest Moon	Barley Moon	Hazel Moon
October	Hunter’s Moon	Blood Moon	Vine Moon
November	Beaver Moon	Snow Moon	Ivy Moon
December	Cold Moon	Oak Moon	Reed Moon
Variable	Winter Moon	Winter Moon	Elder Moon

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