Which phase of the Moon appears smaller than a half circle when viewed from Earth?

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Multiple Choice

Which phase of the Moon appears smaller than a half circle when viewed from Earth?

Explanation:
The Moon’s apparent size in the sky stays roughly the same; what changes is how much of its near side is lit by the Sun. When the illuminated portion is less than half of the disk, it looks smaller than a half-circle, which is the crescent phase. This occurs after the New Moon (waxing crescent) and before the New Moon again (waning crescent). In contrast, a Full Moon shows nearly the entire disk lit, a New Moon is barely visible because the lit side faces away, and a Quarter Moon shows exactly half of the disk lit, appearing as a clear half-circle. So the phase that appears smaller than a half circle is the crescent Moon.

The Moon’s apparent size in the sky stays roughly the same; what changes is how much of its near side is lit by the Sun. When the illuminated portion is less than half of the disk, it looks smaller than a half-circle, which is the crescent phase. This occurs after the New Moon (waxing crescent) and before the New Moon again (waning crescent). In contrast, a Full Moon shows nearly the entire disk lit, a New Moon is barely visible because the lit side faces away, and a Quarter Moon shows exactly half of the disk lit, appearing as a clear half-circle. So the phase that appears smaller than a half circle is the crescent Moon.

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