Moon Phase
What's tonight's moon phase?
Live moon phase and illumination, calculated for right now — plus how much moonlight might wash out tonight's aurora or stargazing.
Local Moonrise & Moonset
🌘 Local Lunar Intent: Waning Crescent (14% illuminated) right now.
💡 What This Means for You (Plain English Mode)
The Moon is 14% illuminated right now, 25.9 days into its roughly 29.5-day cycle. Moonlight interference for stargazing is currently rated "none".
• Calculated from the astronomical ephemeris (no live feed)
Phase of the Moon Right Now · 14% illuminated
Waning Crescent
14% illuminated · 25.9 days old
Illumination
Earth-Moon Distance
Next Full Moon
Next New Moon
Next 14 days
How moon phase affects aurora viewing
Moonlight scatters through the atmosphere the same way sunlight does, just far dimmer — but a bright, near-full moon can still wash out faint aurora, especially a weak G1 display. Around the new moon, skies are at their darkest, so even a modest aurora glow becomes easier to see. Check the aurora forecast alongside tonight's moon phase for the best read on visibility.
Explore the night sky
Beyond the moon, see what constellations and Milky Way visibility look like this month, or check the aurora forecast and planet guide for tonight, or see if a meteor shower is active right now.
Explore stars & constellationsSky Tonight in Top Viewing Cities
Moon tonight: common questions
What is the phase of the moon right now?
The phase of the moon right now is Waning Crescent. Real-time lunar illumination, current moon age, and upcoming phase transition times are calculated dynamically at the top of this page.
What is the moon phase today?
Today's moon phase is Waning Crescent. The live illumination percentage and moon age are shown at the top of this page.
What phase is the moon tonight?
Tonight the Moon is a Waning Crescent. The phase changes gradually, so tonight looks almost identical to today's reading.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon is on November 24, 2026 (UTC).
When is the next new moon?
The next new moon is on November 9, 2026 (UTC). New moon nights are the darkest and best for stargazing and aurora photography.
What time does the moon rise tonight?
Moonrise depends on your location. Use the local moon times card on this page to see tonight's moonrise and moonset for your city.
🎓 Educational Guide: Demystifying Moon Phases
The 29.5-Day Synodic Month Cycle
The Moon takes about 29.5 days to cycle through all its phases as seen from Earth — a period astronomers call the synodic month. This is slightly longer than the Moon's actual 27.3-day orbital period around Earth (the sidereal month), because Earth itself is also moving around the Sun, so the Moon needs a bit of extra travel each cycle to return to the same alignment with the Sun as seen from Earth.
Waxing vs. Waning Terminology
"Waxing" describes the Moon's illuminated portion growing larger, moving from new moon toward full moon. "Waning" describes it shrinking, moving from full moon back toward new moon. Combined with "crescent" (less than half illuminated) and "gibbous" (more than half illuminated), these terms describe all 8 recognized phases of the lunar cycle.
Ocean Tidal Gravitational Pull Systems
The Moon's gravity pulls on Earth's oceans, creating a bulge of water on the side of Earth closest to the Moon, and — due to inertia — a second bulge on the opposite side. As Earth rotates through these two bulges roughly once a day, most coastlines experience two high tides and two low tides daily. The Sun contributes a smaller gravitational pull too, which is why tides are especially strong (spring tides) near new and full moon, when the Sun and Moon align.