LOOK UP
When can you see it?
Later evening and morningThe Moon rises progressively later after sunset and can remain visible after sunrise. If you see a broad, bright Moon in the morning sky, it may be in this phase. A quick comparison with the calendar helps distinguish it from its growing counterpart.
Does waning mean the Moon is getting physically smaller?
No. The Moon keeps its shape. As it moves around Earth, we see a changing portion of the hemisphere lit by the Sun. Its distance from us also varies, but that is a separate effect from the phase.
Astronomy reference: NASA’s guide to Moon phases ↗