Question

How can you tell the difference between waxing and waning when looking at the moon? (ie. How does a waxing crescent look different than a waning crescent?)

Answer 1

One quick way to tell if a moon is in a waxing or waning phase is which side of the moon is the shadow on. If the shadow is on the right, like it is today, we are in a waning phase. If the shadow is on the left, then we are waxing and heading towards a full moon. (I hope this helps)