The phases of the Moon are caused by its orbit around the Earth, which takes approximately 29.5 days to complete a full cycle, known as a lunar month. As the Moon moves in its orbit, different portions of its illuminated half are visible from Earth, resulting in the various phases: new moon, crescent, first quarter, gibbous, full moon, and back again. This cyclical pattern is influenced by the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.
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