29.53 ŋɔ gaƒoƒo alakpa cycle — invisible new moon brilliant full moon. Alakpa agriculture navigation calendars guided thousands ƒe. Moon phase calendar alakpa track precise ŋɔli astronomical algorithms.
Gaƒoƒo Alakpa Abe ƒe
Gaƒoƒo ŋɔli produce nu — sunlight reflect. Gaƒoƒo Anyigba orbit different portions sunlit side face alakpa cycle.
Any moment exactly half gaƒoƒo illuminated (ƒe face). Alakpa observe ƒe anyigba gaƒoƒo angle depend. Gaƒoƒo Anyigba ƒe between dark side — new moon. Anyigba gaƒoƒo ƒe between fully illuminated side — full moon.
8 Phases Lunar Cycle
New Moon — Gaƒoƒo Anyigba ƒe between. Illuminated side Anyigba from invisible (0% illumination). Synodic cycle ŋɔ 0.
Waxing Crescent — Light thin sliver gaƒoƒo right side appear (northern hemisphere). Illumination 0% kple 50% grow. Crescent moon sunset after visible.
First Quarter — Gaƒoƒo visible face half exactly illuminated (50%). "Quarter" name despite half appear — "first quarter" cycle quarter.
Waxing Gibbous — Gaƒoƒo half more illuminated full toward. "Gibbous" latin "hump" word.
Full Moon — Gaƒoƒo visible face entire illuminated (100%). Gaƒoƒo sunset rise sunrise set night long visible. Cycle ŋɔ 14.8 kɔ occur.
Waning Gibbous — Illumination full from decrease start. Lit portion right side from shrink.
Last Quarter — Gaƒoƒo half illuminated again (50%) opposite first quarter. Cycle three-quarter kɔ.
Waning Crescent — Thin sliver remain early morning sky sunrise visible. Cycle next new moon reset.
Synodic Month
Complete cycle alakpa — new moon next new moon — synodic month ~29.53 ŋɔ (29 ŋɔ 12 hours 44 miniti). Sidereal month (27.32 ŋɔ) different gaƒoƒo Anyigba star kɔ orbit.
Synodic month longer gaƒoƒo Anyigba orbit ƒe orbit kɔ move. Gaƒoƒo ~2.2 ŋɔ "catch up" ƒe-anyigba-gaƒoƒo angle same return.
Moon Phases kple Tides
Gaƒoƒo alakpa Anyigba tides directly affect. New moons kple full moons ƒe gaƒoƒo aligned gravity pulls combine spring tides larger tidal ranges create. Quarter phases ƒe gaƒoƒo right angles partially pull cancel neap tides smaller tidal ranges create.
Gravity interaction gaƒoƒo Anyigba from slowly move — ~3.8 cm ƒe — Anyigba rotation gradually slow.
Tracking Moon Phases
Moon phase calendar ŋu Meeus astronomical algorithm precise alakpa ŋɔli calculate. Daily illumination percentages major alakpa events exact ŋɔli gaƒoƒo ŋɔ. Deeper calculation method understanding how lunar time is calculated see.