Waning "Gibbous" Moon

       Today is actually a full moon, traditionally called the December "full cold moon."  But what happens after today?

       The words above caught my eye yesterday and reminded me, after full moon, the moon's phase becomes "waning gibbous moon."  No longer circular, the moon loses some of its roundness and gains the term "gibbous" (pronounced GIB-us) from the Latin gibbus ("hump").

       As long as the moon is between 50% lit and full, it's called gibbous for its rounded but not round appearance, or "hump-backed" if you wish.  When the moon is becoming smaller, it's "waning," when the moon is becoming larger, it's "waxing."

       Just so it's between 50 and 100% illuminated, it's gibbous.  As soon as the moon has "points," it's no longer a gibbous moon.