Seven solar states
The movement of visibility.
Deep Night, Before Dawn, Rising, Ascending, High Sun, Descending and Afterglow describe where the Sun stands in the cycle of appearing, illumination and decline.
Eight lunar phases
The changing quality of reflected light.
Dark Moon, First Light, Waxing Quarter, Gathering Light, Full Moon, Releasing Light, Waning Quarter and Returning Darkness describe how lunar light gathers, reveals, releases and returns inward.
The equation
7 × 8 = 56
Each solar state meets each lunar phase once within the system, creating fifty-six possible Gates. The Gate is deterministic and astronomical. The question affects the editorial domain, intention and interpretive lens, but never secretly changes the Gate number.
See the Current Gate