See the current lunar phase, illumination percentage and exact age, plus a 30-day phase calendar — all calculated live from the precise synodic period.
Today's phase
Loading…
—Illuminated
—Lunar age
—Next event
The next 30 days
Below: today + the next 29 days. The little disc shows the visual phase; the percentage is the lit fraction. Bold rows mark the principal phases (new, first quarter, full, last quarter).
Date
Phase
Lit
The 8 lunar phases
A complete lunar cycle (the synodic month) lasts 29.53 days. The 4 'principal' phases are technically instants in time; the 4 intermediate phases each cover roughly 7.4 days.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the moon look different every night?
The Moon does not produce its own light — it reflects the Sun. As it orbits Earth (every 27.3 days), the angle between Sun, Moon and Earth changes, so a different fraction of its lit hemisphere faces us each night. That fraction is what we call a phase.
Waxing vs waning — what's the difference?
Waxing = the lit portion is growing (from new toward full). Waning = the lit portion is shrinking (from full back to new). In the Northern Hemisphere, waxing moons are lit on the right; waning moons are lit on the left. South of the equator it's reversed.
Why is the synodic month longer than the orbital period?
The Moon completes one orbit around Earth in 27.3 days (sidereal month). But during that time Earth has also moved ~27° along its orbit around the Sun. The Moon needs ~2.2 extra days to catch up and reach the same Sun-Earth-Moon alignment that defines a 'new moon'. Total: 29.53 days — the synodic month.
Why is the moon up during the day sometimes?
The Moon rises and sets at different times depending on its phase. A waxing crescent rises during the day and sets in the evening — easy to see in the western sky after sunset. A waning gibbous rises late at night and lingers into the morning, so it's visible in daylight after sunrise. Only full moons consistently rise at sunset and set at sunrise.
What is lunar age, in plain English?
The number of days since the last new moon. 0 = new moon. ~7.4 = first quarter. ~14.8 = full moon. ~22.1 = last quarter. ~29.5 = next new moon. Use it as a quick way to know where the Moon is in its cycle without doing geometry.
Is this moon phase the same everywhere on Earth?
Yes. The phase is determined by the Sun-Earth-Moon geometry, which is the same for the whole planet at any given instant. What changes by location is the orientation (Northern Hemisphere observers see a waxing crescent lit on the right; Southern Hemisphere on the left) and the time the Moon is above the horizon.