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Why would the moon be waxing?

Updated: 6/30/2023
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Wiki User

12y ago

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"Waxing" is an olde English word that means "becoming" or "growing".

It's used to describe the moon during the two weeks when it appears

progressively more illuminated as time goes on.

"Waning" is an olde English word that means "fading" or "shrinking".

It's used to describe the moon during the two weeks when it appears

progressively less illuminated as time goes on.

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13y ago
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13y ago

The Moon itself does not wax and wane; the Moon is a lifeless ball of rock, unchanging. It is our perspective on the Moon that changes, as the Moon orbits the Earth and the arrangement of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon changes in a monthly cycle. Because we live on the Earth, but the light that illuminates the Moon comes from the Sun, our view of the Moon changes as the Moon orbits the Earth and the side we see is alternately illuminated and dark.

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7y ago

Because only ONE SIDE of the Moon is visible from Earth, and different areas of the Moon (always about a half) are illuminated as it rotates and orbits. Tidal locking means that areas on the back side of the Moon are never visible from Earth, but they get the same amount of sunlight as on the side we see.

The Earth's day and night averages 24 hours because of its rotation. The Moon rotates only once every 28 days, giving any location on its surface 14 days of sunlight followed by 14 days of night.

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13y ago

Waxing is to grow gradually in size. To wane means opposite to decrease gradually in size.

A waxing moon appears to grow brighter into a full moon which is its next stage in the moon phase. A waning moonappears to be decreasing in glow. It eventually moves onto the next phase in the lunar cycle which is a new moon which is completely dark and has no glow.

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11y ago

In the northern hemisphere, if the left side of the Moon is dark then the light part is growing, and the Moon is referred to as waxing (moving toward a full moon).

If the right side of the Moon is dark then the light part is shrinking, and the Moon is referred to as waning (moving toward a new moon).

It's possible it comes from the 14th Century.

Waxing comes from the noun Wax meaning to grow.

Waning comes from the noun Wane meaning a shortage (shrinking)

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12y ago

because of the moon cycle,revolving around the earth

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11y ago

The relative positions of the Sun, the Moon and the observer (on Earth).

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12y ago

The sunlight of the sun causes all phase changes like the waxing and the waning in the moon phases

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13y ago

cause ur mommy ate it

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