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the moon's globe. So if the half that we do see is half-lit, that means the lit portion represents only one quarter of the whole lunar globe. Remember learning in math class that 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4?
• Secondly, the lunar month is said to begin at new moon. The moon completes one-fourth of its journey around the Earth at the first quarter phase. It completes three-quarters of its journey at the last quarter phase (which some

people call a third quarter moon). Then the lunar month starts anew at new moon.
• The first quarter moon waxes (increases) toward full moon, but the last quarter moon wanes (decreases) toward new. When we see a waxing first quarter moon from Earth, someone on the moon would actually see the Earth in its waning last quarter phase.
• In a nutshell, a half-lit moon is called the quarter moon. See it tonight in front of the constellation Virgo, in between the planets Mars and Saturn.