First Quarter
During the first quarter, half of the Moon is illuminated, as seen from the Earth. The Moon rises near the middle of the day and sets near the middle of the night. In northern regions of the world, the right part will be visible, while the left part will be visible in the southern regions. Near the equator, the upper part is bright after moonrise, and the lower part is bright before moonset (the bright part appears and disappears first).
Location: Moon is 90 - 135 degrees ahead of the Sun.
First Quarter Moon Phase Explained
What is a first quarter moon? The first quarter moon, sometimes known as a half moon, is defined to occur when the excess of the apparent ecliptic (celestial) longitude of the Moon over that of the Sun is 90 degrees. This means that one-half of the Moon appears to be illuminated by direct sunlight and the fraction of the Moon’s disk that is illuminated is increasing. Each new lunar cycle is measured beginning at each new moon and the first quarter moon occurs when the Moon is one-quarter of the way around the sky (i.e., along its orbit) from new moon.
2023 First Quarter Calendar
| Date | Time | Day | Sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 28 | 03:20 PM | Saturday |  Taurus |
| February 27 | 08:06 AM | Monday |  Gemini |
| March 29 | 02:33 AM | Wednesday |  Cancer |
| April 27 | 09:21 PM | Thursday |  Leo |
| May 27 | 03:23 PM | Saturday |  Virgo |
| June 26 | 07:51 AM | Monday |  Libra |
| July 25 | 10:08 PM | Tuesday |  Scorpio |
| August 24 | 09:58 AM | Thursday |  Sagittarius |
| September 22 | 07:32 PM | Friday | Sagittarius |
| October 22 | 03:30 AM | Sunday |  Capricorn |
| November 20 | 10:50 AM | Monday |  Aquarius |
| December 19 | 06:40 PM | Tuesday |  Pisces |
Positive Attributes
Time of Warrior Maiden as represented by Artemis, Minerva, Bridget, Diana and Athena; the Virgin, not sexless but not reliant on sex or partners. The Good Folk; Extra pressure on plans, add that little bit of extra steam; Instinct and intuition; Courage; Motivation; Friends; Luck. Relates to initial germination of seeds the shoots striving to break their seed case and grow through the dark earth. During this time you’re walking the knife edge. Half Light, half Dark, good time for decisions. Balance carefully. Doorway to the Other places. Continue regeneration and renewal.
