At what time is a waxing gibbous moon at its zenith?

A waxing gibbous moon is characterized by being more than half illuminated and is increasing in illumination. To understand when it is at its zenith, or highest point in the sky, we need to consider its position relative to the Earth and the Sun.

The moon rises in the east and sets in the west, similar to the Sun, but it takes about 29.5 days to complete a full lunar cycle. A waxing gibbous moon occurs roughly between the first quarter and full moon phases. During this time, the moon typically reaches its highest point in the sky around the time that the Sun sets.

If we assume a waxing gibbous moon is at its zenith shortly after sunset, this generally places its highest point around 3 PM, especially considering the moon's position in the sky about 45 degrees away from the Sun. As the sky darkens after sunset, the moon will be moving toward the east, and observers will see it well after sunset.

This alignment means that at 3 PM, the waxing gibbous moon is rising towards its highest point or zenith, indicating that this timing aligns with its visibility and positioning relative to the Sun.