A waxing moon refers to the phase of the moon when it appears to be growing larger in the night sky. This phase occurs after the new moon and before the full moon. During this time, more of the moon's surface is illuminated by the sun, making it visible from Earth. The waxing moon can be divided into two stages: the waxing crescent and the waxing gibbous. The waxing crescent occurs shortly after the new moon, when only a small sliver of the moon is visible. As the moon continues to wax, it transitions into the waxing gibbous phase, where more than half of the moon is illuminated. This cycle is part of the lunar phases, which are influenced by the positions of the Earth, moon, and sun.