☽

☽ U+263D, ☽ FIRST QUARTER MOON ← ☼ [U+263C] Miscellaneous Symbols ☾ → [U+263E]

An 18th-century astronomical pillar in Scotland. The moons of Jupiter and Saturn are designated 1☽, 2☽, 3☽ &c. (leftmost column).

The 1833 US Nautical Almanac uses ☽ for both the first quarter moon phase (left column) and as a generic symbol for the moon of any phase (right column). Elsewhere in the almanac, ☾ is used as the generic symbol for the moon.

Translingual

Alternative forms

• ☾ (for all senses but [4] and [6]), rarely 🌙︎

Etymology

The lunar crescent is an ancient symbol for the moon. Its orientation varies between increscent and decrescent.

Symbol

☽

1. nighttime.
2. (astronomy, astrology) the Moon.

   a subscript to variables in mathematical equations, such as π_☽ (lunar parallax)

   • 1803, Robert Patterson, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, volume 40 (in English), Princeton University Press, published 2013, page 71:

     Suppose the apparent angular distance of the sun & moon's nearest limbs [...] to be 110°.2′.30″ the app. alt of ☉'s lower limb measuring 20°.40′ and that of ☽'s lower limb 35°.24′

3. (astronomy, rare) a natural satellite (see image at right).
4. (astronomy, astrology, rare) the first quarter of the Moon.

   Synonym: 🌓︎

5. (alchemy) silver.

   Synonym: 🜛

6. (alchemy, rare) quicksilver, contrasting with ☾ for silver.
7. (rare) Monday

   Refers to the Latin phrase dies Lunae, which literally means "Moon's day".

Gallery

• 
  Late Classical and Medieval form
• 
  A ms form from ca. 1750
• 
  A decorative variant in the Netherlands
• 
  As a symbol for silver
• 
  An abstract variant

Derived terms

• (alchemy): ☽⃞ (silver leaf, silver foil)

Related terms

• 🝶 (lunar eclipse)
• 🌕︎, 🌑︎
• ⚸

English

Symbol

☽

1. moon
   • 1652, Elias Ashmole, Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, page 451:

     Witneſſe their power in Plants, Herbes, Corne, and what is Vegitable, whoſe Seeds diverſly proſper, or decay, according to the ſtate of the ☽ with the ☉ at the time of their ſowing.

Latin

Alternative forms

See also: ☽tum

• ☾

Noun

☽ f (genitive ☽nae); first declension

1. (alchemy) Abbreviation of luna (“moon”).
   • 1701, Johann Christoph Sommerhoff, Lexicon pharmaceutico-chymicum latino-germanicum & germanico-latinum [Pharmaceutico-Chemical Lexicon, Latin-German and German-Latin], page 5:

     Eſt quaſi medium inter ☉ & ☽tum, inter ☉lem & ☽nam

     It is like the middle between gold and silver, between the sun and the moon

   • 1701, Johann Christoph Sommerhoff, Lexicon pharmaceutico-chymicum latino-germanicum & germanico-latinum [Pharmaceutico-Chemical Lexicon, Latin–German and German–Latin], page 399:

     Arte ſivè Chymice parata: ut Vitriolum ♃vis, ☽næ, ♂tis, ☉lis, ♀ris

     Those prepared by art or chemically: as vitriol of Jupiter, of the Moon, of Mars, of the Sun, of Venus

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	☽	☽nae
genitive	☽nae	☽nārum
dative	☽nae	☽nīs
accusative	☽nam	☽nās
ablative	☽nā	☽nīs
vocative	☽na	☽nae