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Moon Phase Today
See tonight's moon phase and how much of it is lit, moonrise and moonset for your city, the next new and full moon, and a calendar of the month's phases.
Moon Phase Today: The page calculates the Moon's position for the date and place with astronomy-engine, an open-source library checked against NASA JPL's ephemerides. The phase is named the way almanacs do: a day is called a full moon when the exact moment of full moon falls on that day in the local time zone. South of the equator, the drawing is mirrored as the Moon appears there. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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Place: London, United Kingdom · 51.51° N, 0.13° W · Europe/London
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How the phases work
The Moon is always half lit by the Sun; the phase is how much of that lit half faces us. At new moon it lies between the Earth and the Sun and shows its dark side; a week later, at first quarter, half the disc is lit; at full moon the Earth is between, and the whole face is lit; at last quarter the other half. The cycle from new moon to new moon averages 29.5 days.
The four principal phases are instants, not days. Almanacs name a day after one when that instant falls on it in local time, which is why the same full moon can fall on different dates in Tokyo and Los Angeles. Between them, the Moon is a crescent or gibbous, waxing while it grows and waning while it shrinks.
Seeing the Moon
A waxing moon is in the evening sky: a crescent sets soon after the Sun, the first quarter is high at sunset, and the full moon rises around sunset and stays up all night. A waning moon belongs to the early morning. Rise and set times here are for a flat horizon; hills or buildings delay moonrise and bring moonset forward.
For the Sun's side of the sky, see sunrise and sunset for the same place, including the golden and blue hours photographers plan around.
How to use it
- Choose your city, or use your location.
- Read the current phase, its illumination and age, and today's moonrise and moonset.
- Look ahead to the next new moon, quarters, and full moon, or browse the month calendar.
Privacy & limitations
Everything is calculated in your browser. If you use your location, it stays on your device; the chosen place is kept in this browser only.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the next full moon?
The page lists the next new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter with the date and time in your city's time zone. The exact moment is the same everywhere on Earth; only the local clock time and sometimes the date differ.
Why is the Moon not visible even though it is up?
Near new moon it rises and sets with the Sun, so it is lost in daylight, and the side facing us is dark. A thin crescent shows low in the west after sunset a day or two after new moon.
Why does moonrise change so much from day to day?
The Moon moves about 13 degrees eastward around the sky each day, so it rises on average about 50 minutes later than the day before. Some days therefore have no moonrise or no moonset at all.
Why does the Moon look different in the southern hemisphere?
Seen from south of the equator the Moon is the other way up, so a waxing moon is lit on the left rather than the right. The drawing on this page follows the hemisphere of the city you choose.
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