On the night of August 29, 2026, the Moon stands at the threshold of its own diminishment — 99% illuminated, yet already turning away from fullness. The waning gibbous phase is one of the quieter truths the sky offers: that even at near-peak brightness, the retreat has already begun. For those who look up tonight, the lunar surface reveals ancient plains, craters, and the faint memory of human footprints, all lit by a light that will grow a little dimmer each night until September 26 brings the cycle full again.