Moon phase today
The Moon's phase is the share of its sunlit side we can see from Earth, set by the angle between the Moon and the Sun. A full cycle from new Moon to new Moon takes about 29.5 days on average. The phase is the same everywhere on Earth at a given moment, but the local date and time of each phase depend on your time zone.
- Phase
- Waning crescent
- Illuminated
- 0 %
- Moon age
- 29.1 days
- Moon in
- Scorpio
- Next full Moon
- 24 Nov
- Next new Moon
- 9 Nov
- Updated
- How we calculate it
- Computed on your device
At the top you see the Moon as it looks right now, the percentage illuminated, its age in days since the last new Moon, the zodiac sign it is in, and the dates of the next new and full Moon in your local time.
Pick any other date – for example your birthday – to see the phase on that day. Southern Hemisphere? Switch the view: the Moon appears rotated (roughly upside down) compared with a northern view, so the lit side is on the other side.
How we calculate the phase
We compute the Moon's and Sun's positions with Astronomy Engine (MIT license, documented accuracy about ±1 arcminute). The phase is defined by the difference between the Moon's and the Sun's ecliptic longitudes (sometimes called the lunar phase longitude): 0° is new Moon, 90° first quarter, 180° full Moon and 270° last quarter. Illumination is the illuminated fraction of the disk.
Dates of new and full Moons are found by searching for the exact moment the phase angle reaches 0° or 180°, then shown in your device's time zone. The calculation runs in your browser; no location is sent anywhere.
The eight phases
New Moon → waxing crescent → first quarter → waxing gibbous → full Moon → waning gibbous → last quarter → waning crescent. Waxing means the lit part is growing; waning means it is shrinking. The named instants (new, quarters, full) last a moment; the in-between phases last several days.
Questions
What phase is the Moon today?
The live display above shows the current phase, illumination and Moon age for your time zone, updated when you open the page.
What is the next full Moon?
The next full Moon is shown under the Moon image with its date and local time. Full Moons occur about every 29.5 days.
Why is tonight's Moon special?
Some nights carry popular names such as "supermoon" (a full Moon near perigee, the Moon's closest point to Earth) or "blue moon" (a second full Moon in one calendar month). These are naming conventions; the phase itself is calculated the same way.
Is the Moon phase the same everywhere?
Yes, at the same moment the Moon is in the same phase for everyone. What differs is the local clock time and date of a phase, and the orientation: the Southern Hemisphere sees the Moon "upside down" relative to the north.
What was the Moon phase on my birthday?
Choose your birth date in the date picker. For the Moon's zodiac sign on that day, use the Moon sign calculator.
Sources
Phase, illumination and dates are astronomical calculations. Any astrological meaning given for a phase or Moon sign is offered for entertainment and self-reflection, not as advice or prediction.