These changes happen because the moon revolves , or moves , slowly around the moon . When the moon is shown as a cresent , half moon , etc. , it is because the 2 different hemispheres of Earth are looking at different , illuminated parts of the moon . As the Moon waxes ( the amount of illuminated surface as seen from Earth is increasing ) , the lunar phases progress from new moon , crescent moon , first-quarter moon , gibbous moon and full moon phases , before returning through the gibbous moon , third-quarter ( or last quarter ) moon , crescent moon and new moon phases .