Moon Phases 2022 – Northern Hemisphere – 4K

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Moon goes through a cycle of phases throughout the year. These phases are a result of the changing relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. The primary Moon phases include:

New Moon: This is the first phase of the lunar cycle. During a New Moon, the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, so the side of the Moon that is illuminated by the Sun is facing away from Earth. As a result, the Moon appears completely dark and is not visible from Earth.

First Quarter (Waxing Crescent): As the Moon moves in its orbit, a small portion of the illuminated side becomes visible from Earth. This is known as the Waxing Crescent phase. It's called "first quarter" because the Moon has completed one-quarter of its orbit around Earth.

Waxing Gibbous: During this phase, more of the Moon's surface becomes illuminated each night. It appears as a growing, or "waxing," crescent.