Moon Phases

Moon Phases : displays the moon's current phase and estimates the time of the next full moon, using a calculation of the moon's rotation and the date.

The moon is seen as a female symbol, and was worshipped in ancient times as a powerful force.It is believed to be linked to the unconscious and our feminine side.The sacredness of the moon has been connected with the basic cyclic rhythms of life. The changing phases of the moon were linked to the death and rebirth seen in crops and the seasons, and also to the female monthly cycle that controls human fertility. The moon calendar is still important and many festivals exist around the lunar phases.

Moon Phases

Waxing - the moon is growing larger in the sky, moving from a narrow crescent just after the new moon towards the full moon.

The waxing moon grows from right to left and is called the 'right-hand moon' - the crescent is like the curve between the right-hand's index finger and thumb.

Waning - the moon is decreasing in size, moving from the full moon back towards a crescent as the new moon approaches. The waning moon decreases from right to left and is called the 'left-hand moon' because of its similarity to the curve on the left hand.Energy is now waning with the moon herself, and is linked with the Crone aspect of the Goddess.

Gibbous - during the phases between the First Quarter and the full moon, and between the full moon and the Last Quarter, when more than half of the disc is illuminated.