waning

The waning period is the roughly two-week stretch when the Moon's bright, illuminated portion shrinks each night, from full Moon toward new Moon.

• In India, this shrinking period is traditionally called Krishna Paksha, and it directly follows the full Moon day, ending at new Moon (Amavasya).
• A waning Moon is easiest to spot in the morning sky, appearing closer to the Sun's position at sunrise as the days go on.
• During waning, the Moon appears to drift closer to the Sun in the sky each day, which is exactly the opposite of what happens during the waxing period.
• Together, one full waxing period followed by one full waning period make up the Moon's complete monthly cycle — the natural rhythm that gave humans the very concept of a month.