Moon
The Moon is a prominent feature of the night sky. It is a large bright square on the celestial sphere that sits opposite the sun, illuminating the world at a much lower light level that (usually) fends off gloom, but does not prevent hostile mobs.
The moon progresses through its phases at a far quicker rate than its real-life counterpart. Every day has a distinct phase, and a full cycle is completed every 8 days. Over the course of this time period, the nights get progressively darker and then brighter again as a shadow creeps across the moon's surface from north to south. It is prudent to keep track of the phase of the moon at all times, as it has a number of effects on the world:
| Phase | Full Moon 
|
Gibbous Moon 
|
Quarter Moon 
|
Crescent Moon 
|
New Moon 
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light level | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | Absolute darkness |
| Fishing rate (compared to day) |
Significantly increased |
Reduced | Reduced | Reduced | Reduced |
| Slime spawns | Most | — | — | Fewest | None |
Interaction with Hardcore Spawn
The first night in any new world will always be a full moon. However, the same is not true for Hardcore Spawns that relocate the player; these merely 'advance time to the immediate next morning, and as a result, even your first night after a respawn can be a new moon. A notable effect is that, if you died during the day, then one phase of the moon will appear to be skipped (since time was fast-forwarded through the following night).
Trivia
- Wolves howl more frequently on a Full Moon.
- One can tell apart a waxing moon from a waning moon by observing the side of the shadow, which creeps from north to south along the moon's surface.
- Though the composition of the moon is a hotly-debated topic, most can agree that it is probably not safe to eat.
