Age, Illumination, Sign, & More!
See today’s moon, phase name, illumination %, moon age in days, zodiac sign, constellation, and distance from Earth. Updated live.
See Current Moon Phase as an Emoji.
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Did you know?
People in Australia see the Moon “upside down” compared to how it appears to people in the United States.
Understanding today’s moon
Moon Phase
The moon phase tells you where the moon sits in its 29.5-day synodic cycle, from new moon through waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent.
Moon Sign
The moon sign shows which zodiac sign the moon occupies right now. The moon moves through all 12 signs roughly every 27.3 days, spending about 2.5 days in each.
Illumination
Illumination measures how much of the moon’s visible surface reflects sunlight toward Earth. At new moon it is 0%. At full moon it reaches 100%.
Moon Age
Moon age counts the days elapsed since the last new moon. The lunar cycle runs 29.5 days from new moon to new moon.
Constellation
The constellation shows which background star pattern the moon currently passes in front of, based on its position in the sky. The moon moves through the constellations of the ecliptic over its monthly orbit.
Moon Angle
The moon angle (also called the angular diameter or subtended angle) tells you how large the moon appears from Earth. A higher angle means the moon is closer and looks bigger.
Moon Distance
Moon distance measures how far the moon is from Earth at this moment. This varies because the moon follows an elliptical orbit. At perigee (closest approach) it is about 356,500 km away.
Sun Angle & Sun Distance
The sun angle shows the sun’s current position in the sky relative to the horizon. It determines daylight hours and solar elevation at your location.
Earth’s distance from the sun changes throughout the year as Earth follows its own elliptical orbit.
Lunar Cycle
The moon completes one orbit around Earth every 27.3 days. This is called the sidereal month. But because Earth also moves around the sun, the moon needs about 29.5 days to return to the same phase as seen from Earth. This is the synodic month, and it drives the lunar calendar.
Check Monthly Moon Phase Calendar.
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The 8 Moon Phases
The eight main moon phases are: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent.
New Moon: The moon is completely unilluminated and invisible from Earth. It is the beginning of the lunar cycle. The illumination is 0%
Waxing Crescent & Waxing Gibbous: The moon’s illumination steadily grows day by day as it builds toward peak brightness.
First Quarter & Third Quarter: The classic half-moon phases, which are absolutely perfect for telescopic viewing of lunar craters. The illumination is 50%.
Full Moon: The brightest night of the month, when the moon is visible completely (Full). The illumination is 100%
Waning Gibbous & Waning Crescent: The illumination fades as the moon slowly prepares to start a new cycle.
The Elliptical Orbit of the Moon
The moon does not orbit Earth in a perfect circle. Its path is an ellipse, which means its distance from Earth changes constantly.
At perigee, the closest point in its orbit the moon can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than at its farthest point. When a full moon coincides with perigee, it is commonly called a supermoon.
At apogee, the farthest point the moon appears smaller. If a total solar eclipse occurs when the moon is near apogee, the moon cannot fully cover the sun, producing an annular (ring) solar eclipse.
Why Track the Moon Phase?
Tracking the current moon phase is valuable for a wide variety of activities:
- Astrophotography & Stargazing: A highly illuminated moon washes out faint stars and meteor showers. Knowing the moon age today helps you plan for dark, moonless nights.
- Fishing and Tides: The moon distance and phase directly impact ocean tides. Anglers rely on lunar calendars to predict the best fishing times based on solunar theory.
- Gardening and Agriculture: Many farmers plant and harvest by the phases of the moon and the current moon sign, a practice known as lunar gardening.
