月球围绕地球的轨道运动导致了月相的变化，这是一个持续约29.5天的周期。月相是指从地球上看到的月球被太阳照亮的部分。随着月球在轨道上移动，太阳、月球和地球之间的角度不断变化，从而呈现出不同的月相。文章详细介绍了从新月到满月再到残月的八个主要月相，并说明了每个月相的特征。例如，满月时月球的整个正面都被照亮，而新月时我们看到的一侧是黑暗的。文章还提到了8月14日的月相为盈凸月，月球有69%被照亮，并列举了肉眼可见和借助望远镜可观测的月面特征，为读者提供了关于月球观测的实用信息。

🌕 月相的形成源于月球绕地球的29.5天周期性轨道运动，以及太阳、月球和地球之间相对位置的变化。这导致了月球被太阳照亮的部分在地球上呈现出不同的外观，从而形成我们所见的月相。文章详细解释了这一天体运行规律是如何影响月球可见性的。

🌓 月球的八个主要月相包括新月、蛾眉月、上弦月、盈凸月、满月、亏凸月、下弦月和残月，它们按照固定的顺序循环出现。文章对每个月相的特征进行了描述，例如新月时月球不可见，满月时整个月面被照亮，为理解月相变化提供了清晰的框架。

🔭 文章提到了8月14日的月相为盈凸月，此时月球有69%的表面被照亮。此外，文章还列举了在晴朗夜晚，肉眼可以观测到的月面特征，如风暴洋（Oceanus Procellarum），以及借助望远镜可以观测到的克拉维乌斯陨石坑、阿尔卑斯山脉和风暴海（Mare Humorum）等，增加了观测的趣味性和具体性。

📅 文章指出了下一个满月将在9月7日出现，而上一个满月则发生在8月9日。这些具体的日期信息为对月球观测感兴趣的读者提供了参考，便于他们规划观测活动。

We’re gradually approaching the half moon, moving step by step through the different stages of the lunar cycle.

The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. 

So, what's happening with the moon tonight, Aug. 14?

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Thursday, Aug. 14, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous, and it is 69% lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Alongside this, with no visual aids on the moon, you can spot the Mare Imbrium, Mare Vaporum, and the Oceanus Procellarum, an "Ocean of Storms" that covers more than 10% of the moon's surface. With binoculars, you can add the Clavius Crater, Alps Mountains, and the Mare Humorum to your list.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Sept. 7. The last full moon was on Aug. 9.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.

Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.