Emojis: ๐ Moon Phases / Lunar Phases
The moon phases describe the different stages of appearance of the moon ๐ as seen from Earth ๐, influenced by the respective positions of Earth, Moon, and Sun โ๏ธ in space. There are these eight main phases: ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
A complete cycle from new moon ๐ to new moon, known as a lunation, lasts on average about 29.5 days ๐
.
However, the duration of each moon phase can vary as the orbits of Earth ๐ and Moon ๐ are not perfectly circular โญ. This leads to the moon sometimes orbiting faster โฉ and sometimes slower โช around the Earth. Additionally, the gravitational forces ๐งฒ of the Sun โ๏ธ and Earth ๐ influence the moon and can slightly change its orbiting time โฑ๏ธ.
It’s also important to note that the appearance of the moon phases is also influenced by the observer’s specific geographical location ๐ on Earth. Different time zones and latitudes can slightly alter how the moon is seen from different parts of the world.
๐ Current moon phase as emoji*
Current moon phase:
Northern Hemisphere:
Southern Hemisphere:
Next moon phase:
Northern Hemisphere:
Southern Hemisphere:
*Moon phases roughly last ~3.7 days. This estimation splits the full moon cycle into eight parts for easier understanding. New moon ๐, first quarter ๐, full moon ๐, and last quarter ๐ are ‘event’ phases occurring at specific moments. For observation simplicity, they’re also seen as lasting ~3.7 days. Note, this isn’t strictly accurate for astronomical observations ๐ญ! For determining the exact lunar phase, it is recommended to look at the lunar calendar ๐๐๏ธ.
Did you know that the moon phases ๐ witnessed from the Northern Hemisphere appear inversely compared to the Southern Hemisphere? This is because of the difference in the observer’s perspective due to Earth’s rotation ๐๐. The emojis representing the eight phases of the moon are labeled according to their appearance in the Northern Hemisphere, where the moon waxes (increases) from right to left ๐๐๐๐๐ and wanes (decreases) from left to right ๐๐๐๐๐. However, this is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere ๐, although in both hemispheres the moon is simultaneously either waxing or waning.
Eight lunar phases in the Northern Hemisphere: ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
In the Northern Hemisphere, you can use DOC to remember the phases:
– D shape: ๐
– O shape: ๐
– C shape: ๐
Eight lunar phases in the Southern Hemisphere: ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite, which you can remember as COD.
– C shape: ๐
– O shape: ๐
– D shape: ๐
๐ Moon Phases / Lunar Phases Emojis (13)
New Moon
๐Waxing Crescent Moon
๐First Quarter Moon
๐Waxing Gibbous Moon
๐Full Moon
๐Waning Gibbous Moon
๐Last Quarter Moon
๐Waning Crescent Moon
๐Crescent Moon
๐New Moon Face
๐First Quarter Moon Face
๐Last Quarter Moon Face
๐Full Moon Face