The change in the shape of the moon when seen from earth is known as ____ of the Moon.

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The change in the shape of the moon when seen from earth is known as the phases of the Moon.
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From the above figure, we can see the different phases of the Moon.
Phases of the Moon are observed because some parts of the Moon reflect the sunlight before it reaches Earth. Therefore, the phases of the Moon are determined depending on the size/shape of the reflecting part that faces us.
In detail, we can see the different phases of the Moon.
Full Moon day: When the Moon is on the other side of the Earth, farthest from the Sun, the bright part of the Moon faces the Earth. This is called a full moon day. During the full moon day, the whole Moon is visible. The illuminated portion decreases every day after the full moon day.
Waning phase: From the day after, the size of the brightest part of the Moon reduces and appears to be thinner. As a result, the sunlit portion of the Moon facing the Earth gets smaller, resulting in a half-moon or less than the full Moon. This decreasing phase of the Moon is known as the Waning phase.
New Moon day: When the Moon comes out on the side of the Earth nearest to the Sun, the Sun's light falls on the other side of the Moon, which is not visible to the Earth. The side of the Moon facing the Earth will be in complete darkness. Hence, the Moon is not visible on the fifteenth day, called the New Moon day. The illuminated portion of the Moon increases day by day after the new Moon.
Crescent Moon: The next day comes to the crescent moon, where only a tiny part of the Moon appears in the sky when reflected by the Sun's rays.
Waxing phase: When the Moon moves from its position, its size gets more prominent, resulting in a half-moon (first quarter) or more than a half-moon (waxing gibbous Moon). This increasing phase of the Moon is called the Waxing phase. Finally, the Moon grows again and turns to a full moon on the fifteenth day.
Waning phase: One can find its phase easily by seeing the Moon.
Waxing means 'growing'. If the Moon's right side is getting brighter, it is in the Waxing phase.

The change in the shape of the moon when seen from earth is known as ____ of the Moon.

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