Where’s the moon? Waning gibbous

Kannan A in Singpore caught this photo this morning – February 16, 2017 – and wrote: “Waning gibbous moon this morning in Singapore. The moon was enveloped in a corona. Simply a beautiful sight in the morning skies!”

Are you looking for the moon and not finding it? That’s because the moon is now in a waning gibbous phase: less than full but more than half-lighted. It’s rising late at night and appearing in the predawn sky. Last quarter moon will come on February 18 at 19:33 UTC. (Translate to your time zone here).

What can I say about a waning gibbous moon? Only that it can surprise you if you happen to be out late in the evening. It rises eerily some hours after sunset, glowing red like a full moon when it’s near the horizon.

Sometimes it looks like a misshapen clone of a full moon.

This morning’s waning gibbous moon as seen through a telescope – February 16, 2017 – from our friend Karl Diefenderfer in Quakertown, Pennsylvania.

Also, a waning gibbous moon also initiates a rash of questions about seeing the moon during the day. If it rises late at night, you know the waning gibbous moon must set after sunrise.

In fact, in the few days after full moon, you’ll often see the waning gibbous moon in the west in early morning, floating against the pale blue sky.

As the moon orbits Earth, it changes phase in an orderly way. Follow these links to understand the various phases of the moon.

Four keys to understanding moon phases

Where’s the moon? Waxing crescent
Where’s the moon? First quarter
Where’s the moon? Waxing gibbous
What’s special about a full moon?
Where’s the moon? Waning gibbous
Where’s the moon? Last quarter
Where’s the moon? Waning crescent
Where’s the moon? New phase

Moon in 2017: Phases, cycles, eclipses, supermoons and more

A waning gibbous moon is visible in the west, in the morning. Patricia Evans captured this photo and wrote: “I am always fascinated to see the moon against blue sky! My Dad used to say, ‘Oh look… they forgot to put the moon away.'”

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1gESgg1

Kannan A in Singpore caught this photo this morning – February 16, 2017 – and wrote: “Waning gibbous moon this morning in Singapore. The moon was enveloped in a corona. Simply a beautiful sight in the morning skies!”

Are you looking for the moon and not finding it? That’s because the moon is now in a waning gibbous phase: less than full but more than half-lighted. It’s rising late at night and appearing in the predawn sky. Last quarter moon will come on February 18 at 19:33 UTC. (Translate to your time zone here).

What can I say about a waning gibbous moon? Only that it can surprise you if you happen to be out late in the evening. It rises eerily some hours after sunset, glowing red like a full moon when it’s near the horizon.

Sometimes it looks like a misshapen clone of a full moon.

This morning’s waning gibbous moon as seen through a telescope – February 16, 2017 – from our friend Karl Diefenderfer in Quakertown, Pennsylvania.

Also, a waning gibbous moon also initiates a rash of questions about seeing the moon during the day. If it rises late at night, you know the waning gibbous moon must set after sunrise.

In fact, in the few days after full moon, you’ll often see the waning gibbous moon in the west in early morning, floating against the pale blue sky.

As the moon orbits Earth, it changes phase in an orderly way. Follow these links to understand the various phases of the moon.

Four keys to understanding moon phases

Where’s the moon? Waxing crescent
Where’s the moon? First quarter
Where’s the moon? Waxing gibbous
What’s special about a full moon?
Where’s the moon? Waning gibbous
Where’s the moon? Last quarter
Where’s the moon? Waning crescent
Where’s the moon? New phase

Moon in 2017: Phases, cycles, eclipses, supermoons and more

A waning gibbous moon is visible in the west, in the morning. Patricia Evans captured this photo and wrote: “I am always fascinated to see the moon against blue sky! My Dad used to say, ‘Oh look… they forgot to put the moon away.'”

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1gESgg1