A waxing crescent moon is an intermediate phase of the lunar cycle that starts right after the new moon and lasts until it becomes a first quarter moon.
Second phase of the lunar cycle
A lunar cycle starts with a new moon – when the moon is in front of the sun relative to Earth. It is the time when the Earth-facing side of the moon gets no sunlight.
Now, a waxing crescent moon comes right after the new moon, so it is the second phase of the lunar cycle. It is the time when the Earth-facing side of the moon starts getting sunlight. So a waxing crescent moon is the first visible phase of the moon.
The meaning of a waxing crescent moon
A waxing crescent moon consists of two terms: waxing and crescent.
“Waxing” means increasing or growing. After a new moon, the illuminated area of the moon increases day by day. That’s why it’s called a waxing moon.
The illuminated area of a waxing crescent moon increases from 0% to 50%.
“Crescent” means curved sickle shape. The moon looks like a curved sickle shape between a new moon and a first quarter moon. That’s why it’s called a crescent moon.
So a waxing crescent moon indicates the shape of the moon.
Rise and set time of a waxing crescent moon
A waxing crescent moon rises in the morning (between sunrise and noon), reaches its highest point in the sky (overhead point) in the afternoon, and sets in the evening (between sunset and midnight).
Please remember, a waxing crescent moon does not rise and set at the same time every day. On consecutive days, a waxing crescent moon rises and sets about 50 minutes later.
The best time to see a waxing crescent moon
A waxing crescent moon is best visible around two to three days after the new moon in the western sky after sunset.
A waxing crescent moon disappears in the sun’s glare in the daytime due to its thin sickle shape. As a result, a waxing crescent moon is difficult to see in the daytime.
The duration of a waxing crescent moon
The moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a lunar cycle.
Now, a lunar cycle has eight phases in total. These are the new moon, waxing crescent moon, first quarter moon, waxing gibbous moon, full moon, waning gibbous moon, third quarter moon, and waning crescent moon.
Four primary phases (new moon, first quarter, full moon, and third quarter) have no duration as they occur at a specific moment in time.
So the duration of four intermediate phases (waxing crescent, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous, and waning crescent) is 29.5 days in total.
So the duration of a waxing crescent moon is about 29.5/4 = 7.3 days.
Looks opposite in opposite hemispheres
A waxing crescent moon appears as a curved sickle shape in the sky from anywhere in the world. Its percentage of illumination is also the same. However, it looks opposite in opposite hemispheres.
In the northern hemisphere, the right side of the moon is visible, and in the southern hemisphere, the left side of the moon is visible.
People living in the southern hemisphere (south of the equator) observe the same waxing crescent moon from opposite angles than the people living in the northern hemisphere (north of the equator). As a result, a waxing crescent moon looks upside down.
Earthshine on a waxing crescent moon
You might see earthshine – the faint beautiful glow on the unlit part of a waxing crescent moon. Look for it between two to five days after the new moon in the western sky around an hour after sunset.
Read about all eight phases of the moon:
New moon
Waxing crescent moon
First quarter moon
Waxing gibbous moon
Full moon
Waning gibbous moon
Third quarter moon
Waning crescent moon
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