The current moon phase for today and tonight is the phase. The moon is now % visible and is . Today the Moon is days old.
The approximate distance from Earth to the Moon is and days left to the next phase ().
Visit also the September 2024 Moon Phase Calendar to see all the daily moon phases for this month.
Current Time: 11.15.
Moon Phase Today:
Previous Phase:
Moon distance:
Illumination:
Moon age:
Next Phase:
Moon angle:
Sun distance:
| Moon Phase | DATE AND TIME |
DATE AND TIME (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| New Moon | ||
| First Quarter | ||
| Full Moon | ||
| Last Quarter | ||
| New Moon |
This is the first and invisible phase of the Moon, with the illuminated side of the Moon facing the Sun and the night side facing Earth. The New Moon is only directly visible during a solar eclipse.
First Quarter
A week after new moon comes first quarter, when the Moon is a quarter of the way around its orbit. It is also termed a Half Moon. A First Quarter Moon rises around noon and sets around midnight.
Full Moon
At 100% phase illumination, the day side of the Moon is directly pointed at the night side of the Earth and the Moon is full. A Full Moon rises around sunset and sets around sunrise and it looks bigger when it is near the horizon.
Last Quarter
The Moon enters the Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) of its orbit at nearly 23 days old. Only half of it appears to be illuminated. You can see this phase at late night and in the early morning (6 am).
This is an optical illusion. The Moon looks large shortly after it rises when it's still touching the horizon. This is not the same as a Supermoon.
More Moon FactsAn analysis of moon's mineral composition suggests that the moon is around 4.425 billion years old.
More Moon FactsNo, it doesn’t generate its own light. “Moonlight” is really sunlight that has reflected off of the Moon’s surface. In the same way that the Sun illuminates Earth, the Moon reflects the Sun's light, making it appear bright in our sky.
More Moon FactsA supermoon occurs when the Moon's orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time the Moon is full. At such a time, the Moon can look larger and brighter than it normally does - especially when it is seen rising above the horizon. However, it's important to note that the actual difference in size and brightness between a supermoon and an average full moon is not typically dramatic, and may not be noticeable to the naked eye without a direct comparison.
More Moon FactsAn orange moon means the shorter wavelengths of light are being filtered away. This could be due to the low position on the horizon causing the light to go through more atmosphere, smoke in the air, or pollution.
More Moon FactsThe Full Moon is the fifth lunar phase. The Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon. A Full Moon rises around sunset and sets around sunrise.
More Moon PhasesThe First Quarter is the third lunar phase. The Moon is a quarter of the way around its orbit and you see half of its illuminated side. That’s why sometimes it is also termed as Half Moon. A first quarter moon rises around noon and sets around midnight. It’s high in the sky in the evening and makes for excellent viewing.
More Moon PhasesHalf Moon is used to mean the first- and third-quarter moons, while the term quarter refers to the extent of the Moon's cycle around the Earth, not its shape. So a Half Moon is when only half of the Moon’s surface facing the Earth is lit by light from the Sun.
More Moon PhasesThe best time to go stargazing is around the New Moon, when there is no Moon in the sky. Therefore, both the morning and evening sky are moon-free and great for stargazing.
More Moon PhasesThis is the eighth and also the final phase of the Moon. The Moon is nearly back to the point in its orbit where its dayside directly faces the Sun, and all that we see from our perspective is a thin curve. The Wanning Crescent Moon can be seen from pre-dawn to early afternoon.
More Moon PhasesMoon dust smells like gunpowder. Just to be clear, moondust and gunpowder are not the same thing, so why is this gunpowder smell? No one really knows.
More Fun FactsIn many languages the Moon is gender neutral, in other languages it’s not. For example, in French, the Moon is feminine (la lune) and in German, the Moon is masculine (der Mond). From a cultural point of view, the Moon is often referred as feminine. For example, in Greek mythology, Selene was the Goddess of the Moon and so the Moon has been known as Selene. In Roman mythology, it was the Goddess Luna, from where we get Lunar cycles from. This would give the moon a female gender.
More Fun FactsAt first, Blue Moon is nothing to do with the actual color of the Moon. A Blue Moon is the second Full Moon in a calendar month. Typically, months have only one Full Moon, but sometimes a second one sneaks in. Most months are 30 or 31 days long while Full Moons are separated by 29 days, so it’s possible to fit two full moons in a single month. This happens every two and a half years, on average. Blue Moons dependent on the Gregorian calendar and time zones so you should check our Moon Calendar.
More Fun FactsA lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are exactly or very closely aligned with Earth between the other two, which can happen only on the night of a Full Moon. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon falls entirely within the Earth's umbra.
More Fun FactsBelievers in the lunar cycle effects on human bodies (including the hair) ascribe a similarly forceful effect of this gravitational field on the bodies of humans and animals. According to their belief system, hair grows stronger, hair care products work better, and the styling is more beautiful if the hair care regimen is scheduled according to the lunar calendar. Conditions during the waxing moon promote hair growth after a haircut. Therefore, you should cut your hair between the new and full moon if you want your hair to grow fast after a haircut.
More Fun Facts
MoonPhaseToday.org allows you to view the moon phase for today and tonight, or any given day, month, and year. The moon phase calculation is based on your time zone but we also show you the exact times in UTC format. Hope you find our tool useful and easy to use to find the phases of the Moon.
MoonPhaseToday.org