Perplexing problem with a "SHAPE" changing size

Question

I am doing a page in Excel in which I am in need of showing the phases of the moon. I have no issue with first quarter, the third quarter and the full moon having copied symbols to use for these phases. However, when it comes to the new moon, I am stumped. To do the new moon, I created a circle shape and then filled it with black. The phases are shown along with some other information in a row in the spreadsheet that is merged across 23 columns. As soon as I merged the info, the shape I created for the new moon shrinks by about 50 % and no matter what I have done, I cannot alter this. Of course I could spend the time to locate a symbol that would be the appropriate size and is filled, but I am trying to avoid the time required to search out this symbol.

Can anyone tell me why the circle shape I have created and filled with black shrinks its diameter when I merge these cells? None of the SYMBOLS change size so why does the shape?

I am further confounded by the fact that I create a SHAPE for the new moon, but as soon as I merge the cells the shape becomes controlled by the font and the font size.
The row that the SHAPE is in, also contains symbols and text and other shapes. None of the other SHAPES or SYMBOLS change size when the row is merged so why does the circle change size?

Since the SHAPE becomes controlled by font and size, I had to increase the size of the SHAPE to NEW ROMAN size 22 and then when I hit ENTER, the symbol for the new moon becomes the same size as the other circles that are SYMBOLS for displaying the each quarter of the moon and the full moon.

Can anyone explain this to me, please?

Here is an EXACT copy of the merged row with the symbols and shapes exactly as in the merged cells that cover 21 columns and you can clearly see the smaller SHAPES for the New Moon while the SHAPES for "Holiday", "Other Celebrations", "Today" did not change size nor did the SYMBOLS for each of the quarters keeping in mind the "New Moon" is represented with a SHAPE instead of a symbol.

AGAIN, these are SHAPES: Holiday Other Celebrations Today ● New Moon; AND

these are SYMPOLS: ◐ First Quarter ⭘ Full Moon ◑ 3rd Quarter

and after merging in one row across 21 columns,

The ONLY SIZE CHANGE was with ● New Moon

And the only way to get the SHAPE ● the same size the SYMBOLS for each of the moon quarters was to increase the font size to 22.

Holiday Other Celebrations Today ◐ First Quarter ⭘ Full Moon ◑ 3rd Quarter ● New Moon

I am running Windows 10

Microsoft 365 Home/Personal

On a desktop computer from Lenovo.

Answer 1

Sorry, I don;t have other suggestions for you.

Answer 2

Hans I greatly appreciate you trying to help, however, at this time, I cannot do as you asked as I am simply covered up with other loads. I did just add some more description that I hope clarifies my dilemma for you. Thanks again.

Answer 3

Could you create a stripped-down copy of the workbook demonstrating the problem (without sensitive information) and make it available through one of the websites that let you upload and share a file, such as OneDrive, Google Drive, FileDropper or DropBox. Then post a link to the uploaded and shared file here.