The Crescent Moon at 4:52 pm here in the south!Just thought it was interesting!
The Captivating Crescent Moon
Photo Credit NASA
By the Light of the Slivery Moon
Bob Berman Nov. 16, 2023
The captivating crescent may be the Moon’s most fascinating phase. Why is the crescent Moon sometimes on its back, bottom, side, or upside down? Is it smiling at you? Bob explains the crescent Moon tilt.
Look for that sly, slim smile. When first sighted each month, hovering in twilight, the Moon’s slender crescent is mesmerizing. Early cave paintings reveal a primitive fascination with the crescent Moon, and its allure continues to this day.
(See tonight’s Moon phase in your area with the Almanac’s Moon Phase Calendar.)
Ever noticed: The crescent Moon is always low in the sky and confined to the hours around dawn or dusk; it is never in darkness.
Cartoonists often depict the crescent Moon in a midnight sky, but this is impossible: The night’s middle hours are for the broad, or fat, phases of the Moon—gibbous and full.
What is a Crescent Moon?
When the Moon appears early in its first quarter or late in its last quarter, only a small arc-shaped section is visible and illuminated by the Sun.
The orientation of the crescent Moon depends on the time of day, the season, and the viewer’s location.
During evening twilight, from January through March, in all of the northern temperate latitudes (from 25° to 50° north latitude, encompassing Canada, China, all of Europe, Japan, Russia, and the United States), the changing angle of the lunar orbit with respect to the horizon orients the crescent with its points, or horns, aimed upward, displaying a benevolent smile.
For the remainder of the year, the crescent appears sideways, like an archer’s bow.
At no time of night from any location on Earth does the Moon appear to be frowning; this occurs only around midday, in full sunlight.
The year-round view from the tropics is of a smiling crescent.
North, South; Left, Right—The Same, but Different
In both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the shape and width of the crescent Moon is the same on the same day. However, the angle of the crescent’s orientation differs. The crescent’s illumination is always aimed at the Sun, while its points, or horns, aim directly away from the Sun.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Moon stands above or (more usually) to the upper left of the sunset point.
In the Southern Hemisphere, it stands to the upper right of the sunset point. The crescent’s “tilt” looks different from each place.
What does the crescent moon symbolize?
Numerous cultures this centuries-old tradition: They call the first sighting of the crescent Moon after its monthly 3-day absence the “new Moon.” (The 3 days include the 36 hours before the new Moon and the 36 hours after it.)
For example, among followers of Islam, the first sighting marks the start of each month and determines fast times and holidays.
Today, to astronomers and scientists, “new Moon” means “no Moon.” The phrase describes the date and hour when the Moon is closest to the Sun and completely obscured from Earth by solar glare. Two days and 26 degrees later (the Moon appears to move leftward 13 degrees every 24 hours), when the Moon is not in line with the Sun and therefore is only marginally in view, the waxing crescent appears just above the western horizon, setting soon after sunset….
(https://www.almanac.com/captivating-crescent-moon
Christianity
In Christianity, the Moon’s phases hold a symbolic and spiritual significance, known as the mysterium lunae. The waning Moon represents dying; the waxing symbolizes generation and the full moon birth. The Virgin Mary is frequently pictured standing atop a crescent, alluding to lunar cycles of renewal
https://cityastronomy.com/crescent-moon-symbol-spiritual-meaning/