Why observe the crescent and not the conjunction as new moon?
The lights in the scripture is referring to the sun and the stars. It is also referring to the sunlight reflecting off the moon because the moon has no light of its own. When the sunlight reflects off the moon, it creates phases of the moon or moon phases. The amount of light reflected, determines the phases. When no light is reflected, this is also a phase. When you examine the phases of the moon you will see that one of the phases is called the full moon, which is when the sun lights up the entire one half of the moon that faces the earth. So, one might ask the question, When do the phases of the moon begin? The beginning of the full moon phase starts with a first crescent. When the crescent of the moon gradually gets larger, it is waxing. Once it reaches the full moon phase, the crescent begins to get smaller. This is called waning. Eventually, there is no light reflecting off the moon and it appears completely dark. Hence, you have the dark moon phase. The renewing of the moon occu
