Waxing Crescent Moon: Meaning, Dates and When to See It
Phase 2 of 8, lasting about a week
The waxing crescent is the young Moon: a growing sliver lit on its right side (as seen from the northern hemisphere) that appears in the west after sunset and sets a few hours later. Each evening it is higher, fuller and up for longer. The faint glow on the dark part is earthshine, sunlight reflected from Earth, easiest to see in the first few days.
Tonight the Moon is a waning gibbous. Next waxing crescent (showing UTC):
to
- Illumination
- 1% to 49%
- Moon age
- 1 to 7 days
- Rises
- Mid-morning
- Sets
- Early evening
Where to look: low in the west after sunset. Exact moonrise and moonset for your city are on the moon calendar.
Upcoming waxing crescent dates
| From | To | Length |
|---|---|---|
| (New Moon) | (First Quarter) | 8.0 days |
| (New Moon) | (First Quarter) | 8.2 days |
| (New Moon) | (First Quarter) | 8.2 days |
| (New Moon) | (First Quarter) | 8.0 days |
| (New Moon) | (First Quarter) | 7.7 days |
| (New Moon) | (First Quarter) | 7.3 days |
| (New Moon) | (First Quarter) | 7.0 days |
| (New Moon) | (First Quarter) | 6.7 days |
The waxing crescent runs from one principal phase to the next, so each window lasts about a week.
What the waxing crescent looks like
The waxing crescent appears low in the western sky after sunset in the days following new moon, a sliver that grows a little each evening. It sets within a few hours of the Sun, so it is only visible in the early evening. The lit edge always faces the Sun, which is why the horns of the crescent point away from the sunset.
Around this phase the dark portion of the disc often glows faintly with earthshine, sunlight reflected from Earth's oceans and clouds.
Lore and folklore
The young crescent has stood for new life and growth for thousands of years, from Mesopotamian seals to the crescents on modern flags. In rural tradition it was the time to start projects, sow leafy crops and cut timber that should not rot. Seeing the new crescent over the right shoulder was lucky; over the left, less so.
Sailors called a crescent tipped like a bowl a wet moon that would hold water and bring rain, or a dry moon if it could spill.
Trivia
- The youngest crescent ever photographed was well under a day old, only hours after new moon.
- From the tropics the crescent lies almost flat like a smile, because the ecliptic stands steeply from the horizon.
- The crescent-and-star symbol predates Islam by centuries; it appeared on coins of Byzantium.
- The Moon moves about 13 degrees eastward against the stars each day, roughly its own width every hour.
Gardening by the Moon
The waxing half of the month, from new moon to full, is the traditional time to sow and plant crops that bear above ground. The first week favours leafy crops such as lettuce, spinach and cabbage. See this month's planting calendar ›