what does waning mean in moon phases

Waning in moon phases means the lit part of the Moon is getting smaller each night as it moves from full moon toward new moon.

Quick Scoop: What “waning” really means

• “Waning” comes from an old word meaning “to grow smaller” or “to fade.”

• In astronomy, a waning Moon is any phase after the full moon as the illuminated portion decreases on its way to the new moon.

• During waning, the bright area shrinks from about more-than-half lit (waning gibbous) down to a thin crescent and finally disappears at new moon.

Where waning fits in the moon cycle

• The Moon’s full cycle is about 29.5 days, and waning is the second half of that cycle.

• Order of phases in the waning half:
  1. Waning gibbous – more than half lit but shrinking.

2. Third (last) quarter – half lit, heading toward darkness.

3. Waning crescent – thin “sickle” of light before new moon.

In a simple picture: waxing = Moon’s light grows , waning = Moon’s light fades as it returns to the dark new moon.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.