Published 20:14 IST, August 25th 2020
First Quarter Moon: What time will the First Quarter Moon be visible on August 25?
The August 25 Moon will be the First Quarter Moon. Find out what time will the first quarter moon be visible in the sky and which other moon phases will follow.
The First Quarter Moon is a primary phase of the Moon. It is the time when we can see exactly half of the Moon’s surface, as only half of it is being illuminated by the Sun’s light. The First Quarter Moon is also known as a Half Moon this is because we can see exactly 50% of the Moon's surface.
It is a widely known fact that the ocean tides on Earth are mostly created by the Moon’s gravitational pull. During its First and Third Quarter, the Moon and Sun pull in different directions. This also produces the smallest difference between high and low tide, known as neaps or neap tide. Read on to find out more details about the First Quarter Moon.
When will the First Quarter Moon be visible?
The EarthSky report states that the First Quarter Moon rises in the middle of the day and sets in the middle of the night in most places. Generally, skywatchers are able to see the First Quarter Moon more frequently than the Third Quarter Moon. The latter primarily appears in the sky after midnight.
What time will the First Quarter Moon be visible tonight?
According to a report on EarthSky, Tuesday, August 25 will see a First Quarter Moon. The Moon will become visible at 17:57 UTC, which is 10:57 am Tuesday, Pacific Time (PT), 1:57 pm Tuesday, Eastern Time (ET). In Australia, the First Quarter Moon will be visible at 3:57 am Wednesday, Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
Source: Unsplash
Moon Phases explained
Source: Unsplash
In Western Culture, the lunar month is generally divided into four primaries and four intermediate Moon phases. Hence, the First Quarter Moon is considered as the second primary Moon phase. This is the time when the Moon has reached the first quarter of its orbit around Earth. Hence the term “First Quarter Moon” is used.
The first primary Moon phase is New Moon and the third phase is Full Moon. The last Moon phase as per western calendars is the Third Quarter Moon. Hence, technically, the primary Moon phases occur at a very specific moment in time of every month.
The time period between the two primary phases is called intermediate Moon phases. Thus, we see the Waxing Crescent Moon, the Waxing Gibbous Moon, the Waning Gibbous Moon, and the Waning Crescent Moon in this phase. But, it is important to note that although interpreted differently in different cultures, moon phases are the same all over the world.
Hence, the same percentage and area of the Moon will be illuminated no matter which part of Earth an observer looks at the Moon from. But, the Moon rotates in different ways depending on the time, the date, and the observer’s location, and also the Moon's position in the sky. Hence, the illuminated part can appear on the left, the right, the top, or the bottom.
Updated 20:14 IST, August 25th 2020