Which lunar phase follows a new moon?

The lunar phase that follows a new moon is the waxing crescent.

At new moon, the Moon lies approximately between Earth and the Sun, so the sunlit half faces mostly away from Earth and the visible disk is nearly dark. As the Moon moves eastward in its orbit, a thin illuminated sliver appears after sunset: the waxing crescent. “Waxing” means the illuminated portion visible from Earth is increasing.

The waxing crescent is followed by first quarter, waxing gibbous, and full moon. After full moon, the sequence reverses into waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent before returning to new moon. A complete synodic cycle averages about 29.53 days.

A common confusion comes from the word “new moon.” In modern astronomy it names the invisible conjunction phase, while some calendars use “new moon” for the first visible crescent. The crescent’s orientation also depends on latitude: its bright side can appear on opposite sides for Northern and Southern Hemisphere observers.