Which words describe the different shapes that the Moon appears to be?

Options

A. waning and waxing
B. waning and crescent
C. waxing and gibbous
D. crescent and gibbous

Answer

To answer the question about the different shapes that the Moon appears to be, we can break it down into a few steps:

### Step 1: Understand Moon Phases
The Moon goes through different phases as it orbits the Earth. These phases are determined by the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

### Step 2: Identify the Shapes
1. **Crescent Moon**: This shape occurs when less than half of the Moon is illuminated. It can be seen just after the new moon phase or just before the new moon phase.
2. **Gibbous Moon**: This shape occurs when more than half of the Moon is illuminated. It can be seen just after the first quarter phase or just before the last quarter phase.

### Step 3: Conclusion
The two primary terms that describe the different shapes of the Moon are:
- **Crescent**: Less than half illuminated.
- **Gibbous**: More than half illuminated.

### Final Answer
The words that describe the different shapes that the Moon appears to be are **Crescent** and **Gibbous**.

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