We can slice the Moon’s cycle into as many phases as we want. Arabian, Indian, and Chinese astrologers divided the Moon’s orbit into 28 or 27 “mansions.” They noticed how each day of the lunar month had its own unique and recurring qualities. When I was growing up, most calendars, if they listed the Moon at all, identified just four phases: new, full, and the two quarter Moons. This information meant nothing to me at the time, but I heard it was useful to fishermen and gardeners. Today both astrologers and astronomers divide the lunation cycle into eight phases, which is what we do here at MoonCircles. Below is a quick guide: