The phase of the Moon just after a Full Moon
The word "waning" means decreasing in size (referring to the illuminated portion), and "gibbous" means that more than half of the surface is illuminated.
The waning gibbous phase becomes the "last quarter" or "third quarter" when the illuminated portion is exactly 50%, leading to the "waning crescent" with less than 50% and eventually a New Moon (totally darkened, as the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun).
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Phases of the Moon in sequence:
Waxing Gibbous is the moon phase between First Quarter and Full Moon - when the
moon is more than half illuminated, and becoming more fully illuminated as time
passes. "Waxing" is an obsolete English word for "growing", and "gibbous" comes
from the Latin word 'gibbus' meaning "hump-backed".
Gibbous moon refers to the appearance of the moon before and after the Full moon.
A Full moon is a circle of light that is 100% visible. But before that and after that, in the quarters before/after reaching the 'half moon' stage, it is described as gibbous, meaning bent/convex in shape/appearance.
'gibbous' [Latin gibbos; French gibbeux; Greek xνφοs, from a Greek verb, meaning to bend] means
# Swelling; protuberant; convex. The moon is gibbous when the lit part is convex. In medicine, a swollen part of bone can be described as gibbous. # Hunched; hump-backed. # In botany, any swelling or projection at the base of leaves or flowers.
Waning means getting smaller or weaker. It is the opposite of waxing.
Gibbous, literally means humped. It is the opposite of crescent.
So a waning gibbous, means a humped moon getting smaller.
See related link for a pictorial.
Gibbous is the name of two phases of the Moon. Waxing Gibbous, for when the Moon is turning from New to Full, and Waning Gibbous when the Moon is turning from Full to New. It refers to when 51-99% of the Moon's surface is visible in the night sky. [The picture above shows a crescent Moon, not a gibbous Moon.]
Gibbous is when the moon is larger than a half moon. Waxing gibbous if it's getting bigger (before full moon) and waning gibbous after full moon when it's getting smaller and approaching half moon again.
The so-called "gibbous" shape is any shape more than a semi-circle but
less than a full circle.
It's the apparent shape of the moon during roughly the middle two weeks
of the cycle between successive New Moons, or roughly a week either side
of the Full Moon.
During the two weeks after Full Moon . . .
Waning gibbous --> Third Quarter (half-illuminated) --> Waning crescent --> New Moon
It's a phase of the moon where the moon is crescent-shaped and getting smaller by the day.
Crescent means less than half as gibbous means more than half
Waning gibbous caused by the sunlight of the sun causes all the phases, it changh like a waxing gibbous and waning gibbous in the moon phases.
As a waning moon is getting smaller, a waning gibbous moon is losing light.
Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter and Waning Crescent.
Usually its waxing gibbous or waning gibbous, and both are phases of the moon
Waning gibbous, Third Quarter and Waning Crescent are the 'waning' moon phases.
Waxing crescent, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous, waning crescent, new moon.
Waning gibbous caused by the sunlight of the sun causes all the phases, it changh like a waxing gibbous and waning gibbous in the moon phases.
Waxing crescent as it rises waning gibbous sets and vice versa
As a waning moon is getting smaller, a waning gibbous moon is losing light.
A waxing gibbous moon is when it is more than half full and getting bigger. A waning gibbous moon is when it is more than half full and getting smaller.
Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter and Waning Crescent.
The moon is in its waning (shrinking) gibbous phase for roughly the week after the Full Moon.
Waning Gibbous
There are eight phases that the moon goes through for each cycle. They are the new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning gibbous.
It's called a waning gibbous moon.
Usually its waxing gibbous or waning gibbous, and both are phases of the moon
The Phases of the moon are Full moon,Waxing Gibbous,Waning Gibbous, Waxing Cresent, Waning Cresent and New Moon.