Moon’s Illumination Falls to 49% as Lunar Cycle Winds Down

The moon is 22 days into its lunar cycle, with 49% of its visible disk illuminated as it moves through its waning phase.

With slightly less than half of the disk lit, the moon is entering the waning crescent stage. The bright portion will continue to shrink as the cycle approaches the new moon.

Moon phases result from changes in the positions of the sun, Earth and moon. As the moon orbits Earth, observers see different amounts of its sunlit half.

The waning phase follows the full moon, reversing the gradual increase in illumination seen during the first part of the cycle. It offers a visible marker of time passing in the night sky.