Question

During the waxing phase, the bright part of the Moon becomes smaller each night.

Just after sunset, Kabir sees a half Moon high in the southern sky, with its bright side facing west, towards where the Sun set. (a) Is the Moon waxing or waning? (b) Name this phase. (c) About how many days later will he see a full moon, and at what time will it rise?

Riya kept a Moon diary. The day after Amavasya she could not find the Moon, but from the next evening she sketched it just after sunset in the western sky. Her sketches for Day 2, Day 5 and Day 8 are shown in the figure. She noticed that each evening the Moon was a little higher in the sky at sunset than the evening before, and that its bright side always faced the direction of the setting Sun.