Phases

Said of the Moon, but also applicable to Mercury and Venus. The phases are crescent, shortly before and after lunation; half-moon, at the quarter when one side is a straight line and the other is convex; gibbous, shortly after the quarters, when both sides are convex; and Full Moon, when the Earth and the Moon are in opposition. The Lunation is hardly a phase, since the Moon is invisible except for a slight glow: the Earth-shine resulting from light reflected back from the Earth. According to Kepler, as the Moon waxes all things swell with moisture, which is decreased at the Lunation, increased at the Full, and powerfully stressed at the quadratures. Direct light is heating; reflected light, moistening.