Phases of the Moon

One of the easiest ways to understand the phases of the Moon is to imagine how the Moon looks in the night sky. In total, there are 8 phases. Though it may at first seem complicated, keep in mind that the phases of the Moon are a part of a cycle. The Moon begins at a new Moon, and ends with a new Moon. We will start with the four key phases, and then break it down from there. The four key phases that make up the lunar phase cycle include the new Moon, first quarter, full Moon, and third quarter.