A little knowledge. A more familiar sky.

Learn the night sky.

Recognise it. Remember it. Find it again.

Five questions · any topic

Your next small discovery2 min read

Make sense of Moon phases

Learn the pattern, not just the names.

New

First quarter

Full

Last quarter

Four landmarks in the cycle · northern-hemisphere schematic

Waxing

The lit portion we see is growing. Waning means shrinking.

First quarter

The disc looks half-lit, not quarter-lit.

Why phases happen

We see different amounts of the Moon’s sunlit half as it orbits Earth.

Evening practice

First quarter is a useful evening Moon; last quarter favours late night and morning.

Make it stick

Wax on. Wane off.

Waxing grows towards full. Waning shrinks towards new.

Got the idea?Hide the lesson and see what comes back.

Sources & further reading

A little, often

Short visits. Familiar names. Come back to the ones that need another look.

Practised: —
Due now: —
Remembering: —

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How remembering works

Correct answers come back after 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days. A missed answer returns in 10 minutes. Early practice is welcome, but doesn’t skip those intervals.

“Remembering” means three successful, spaced reviews—not a guarantee you’ll never forget.

From learning to looking

Try it under the sky

Earth’s shadow causes a lunar eclipse, not the ordinary monthly phases.

Check the Moon in the Sky Map, then try naming its phase before reading the details.

Open Sky Map

Planning your first observing session?Follow First Light → Prefer to watch someone walk through it?Explore the Video Library → Taking a Seestar out?Find targets for your smart scope →