What phase is the moon tonight?

Set the date to today and the tool reports the phase name, the illuminated percentage, and the moon's age in the current cycle.

How long is a lunar cycle?

About 29.53 days from one new moon to the next. This is the synodic month, not the moon's 27.32-day orbital period.

Why is the moon visible during the day sometimes?

The moon is above the horizon for roughly half of every 24 hours regardless of phase. Near new moon it is up during the day, and near full moon it is up at night.

Why does first quarter look like half a moon?

The name refers to being a quarter of the way through the cycle, not to how much is lit. At first quarter exactly half the disc is illuminated.

How accurate is this?

The phase is estimated from the SunCalc solar and lunar position model. That is enough to answer which phase it is, not enough to predict an eclipse.

The number of days since the last new moon. Zero is new, about 14.8 is full, and it returns to zero at the next new moon.

Does the phase look the same everywhere on Earth?

The illumination and phase are essentially the same at a given instant. The visible orientation changes with hemisphere, latitude and the Moon's position in the sky.

Why is the next full moon sometimes 15 days away and sometimes 14?

Because the actual lunation length varies slightly, from about 29.3 to 29.8 days, as the moon's orbit and the Earth's combine.

Can I plan photography around the moon?

Yes. A full moon gives the brightest night sky, while a thin crescent near new moon gives the darkest, which is what you want for astrophotography.

Is there a lunar eclipse on any of these dates?

Not shown here. Eclipses require the moon to be near a node of its orbit, which this phase calculation does not model.

Moon Phase Calendar

Quick answer: Pick a date to see the moon's phase, how much of it is lit, how old it is in the current cycle, and how long until the next full moon.

How to use moon phase calendar

Keep today selected for tonight’s phase, or choose another date.
Use the month arrows and click any day to inspect its phase at local noon.
Switch the diagram to the Southern Hemisphere if appropriate, then read the upcoming phase table in the displayed time zone.

Worked example

Input: First quarter: phase fraction 0.25
Expected result: Approximately 50% of the visible disc is illuminated; the Moon is waxing.

“Quarter” refers to progress around the phase cycle. It does not mean that only one quarter of the visible disc is bright.

Calculation method and accuracy

SunCalc estimates illumination and phase from solar and lunar positions. The upcoming-event table numerically searches this model for phase fractions 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75. Age is estimated from the phase fraction and a 29.5306-day mean cycle. A displayed minute is a formatting choice, not a claim of one-minute astronomical accuracy.

Common mistakes and edge cases

The phase is essentially global at a given instant; local calendar dates differ across time zones.
The hemisphere switch rotates the illustration. The actual limb orientation also depends on observer latitude and where the Moon is in the sky.
A dark phase is useful for planning stargazing, but check moonrise, moonset, weather and light pollution too. This is not an eclipse or tide prediction.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by GeoDataViewer · 2026-09-22. Examples are rounded; the interactive result uses your selected inputs.

The synodic month

The moon takes about 29.53 days to return to the same phase, a period called the synodic month. It is longer than the moon's actual orbital period of 27.32 days because the Earth moves along its own orbit in the meantime, so the moon has to catch up.

That difference is why the moon rises roughly 50 minutes later each day rather than returning to the same time.

Why the phase is not the same as the illuminated fraction

The phase is a position in the cycle; the illuminated fraction is how much of the visible disc is lit. They track each other closely but the relationship is not linear, because illumination follows a cosine of the phase angle rather than rising in a straight line.

Names of the phases

The eight conventional names run from new moon through waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent. The quarter phases are named for how far through the cycle the moon is, not for how much of it you can see — at first quarter, half the disc is lit.

Limitations to keep in mind

Phase and event times are estimates from the SunCalc position model; displayed minutes do not imply one-minute accuracy. The moon's orbit is eccentric and inclined, so precise prediction of rise times, eclipses, and libration needs a full ephemeris rather than a mean cycle.

Related tools

Sunrise and sunsetSunrise, sunset and day length for any date and place.
Sun positionWhere the sun is right now: elevation and azimuth.
Moon positionWhere the moon is overhead right now.
Day and night mapThe live day/night terminator.
Time zone mapCompare local times around the world.

Frequently asked questions

What phase is the moon tonight?: Set the date to today and the tool reports the phase name, the illuminated percentage, and the moon's age in the current cycle.
How long is a lunar cycle?: About 29.53 days from one new moon to the next. This is the synodic month, not the moon's 27.32-day orbital period.
Why is the moon visible during the day sometimes?: The moon is above the horizon for roughly half of every 24 hours regardless of phase. Near new moon it is up during the day, and near full moon it is up at night.
Why does first quarter look like half a moon?: The name refers to being a quarter of the way through the cycle, not to how much is lit. At first quarter exactly half the disc is illuminated.
How accurate is this?: The phase is estimated from the SunCalc solar and lunar position model. That is enough to answer which phase it is, not enough to predict an eclipse.
What is moon age?: The number of days since the last new moon. Zero is new, about 14.8 is full, and it returns to zero at the next new moon.
Does the phase look the same everywhere on Earth?: The illumination and phase are essentially the same at a given instant. The visible orientation changes with hemisphere, latitude and the Moon's position in the sky.
Why is the next full moon sometimes 15 days away and sometimes 14?: Because the actual lunation length varies slightly, from about 29.3 to 29.8 days, as the moon's orbit and the Earth's combine.
Can I plan photography around the moon?: Yes. A full moon gives the brightest night sky, while a thin crescent near new moon gives the darkest, which is what you want for astrophotography.
Is there a lunar eclipse on any of these dates?: Not shown here. Eclipses require the moon to be near a node of its orbit, which this phase calculation does not model.