Moon Phase Today
Check the current moon phase and lunar phase tonight: new moon, crescent, full moon or waning. See the illumination percentage and countdown to the next phase.
Moon Phase Today
Calculating today's moon phase…
About this tool
The tool automatically calculates the moon phase based on today's date, using the average synodic cycle of 29.53 days. All calculations run directly in your browser, with no external server requests.
Features
Use Cases
- Planning rural activities such as planting and harvesting according to the lunar calendar.
- Checking the moon phase for nighttime photography and amateur astronomy.
- Rituals, spiritual practices, and meditations guided by the lunar cycle.
- General curiosity about the moon's cycle and basic astronomical education.
How to use
See the Current Phase
When you open the page, today's moon phase is displayed automatically with name, illustration, and illumination percentage.
Choose Your Hemisphere
If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, select 'Southern' to see the moon illustration in the correct orientation.
Check the Next Phase
See how much time remains until the next principal phase: first quarter, full moon, last quarter, or new moon.
Understand the Moon Phases
The lunar cycle (synodic month) lasts about 29.5 days and is divided into 8 distinct phases, reflecting the portion of the Moon illuminated by the Sun from Earth's perspective. Learn about each phase:
New Moon
The Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun. Its illuminated side faces the Sun, making it completely invisible to us in the night sky.
Waxing Crescent
A sliver of light begins to appear on the edge. This marks the start of the Moon's journey from darkness toward full illumination.
First Quarter
Exactly half of the moon's disk is illuminated. The Moon has completed one-quarter of its orbit around the Earth since the New Moon.
Waxing Gibbous
More than half of the Moon's surface is illuminated, growing larger each day but not yet reaching the complete circle of the Full Moon.
Full Moon
The entire visible face of the Moon is 100% illuminated by the Sun, shining at its peak brightness in the night sky all night long.
Waning Gibbous
After the full phase, the illuminated surface begins to shrink progressively, though more than half of the Moon remains visible.
Last Quarter
The opposite half of the Moon's disk (compared to the First Quarter) is illuminated, marking the final quarter of the lunar orbit cycle.
Waning Crescent
Only a thin silver curved sliver of light remains visible. It is the final phase of the cycle before it resets back to a New Moon.
What is Moon Illumination?
Illumination represents the percentage of the Moon's Earth-facing side reflecting sunlight towards Earth. It ranges from 0% (New Moon) to 100% (Full Moon) as the relative positions of Earth, Moon, and Sun change.
What is Moon Age?
Moon age is the number of days since the last New Moon. Because the complete lunar cycle averages 29.53 days (synodic month), the age ranges from 0 to 29.5 days, telling us exactly where the Moon is in its cycle.
Questions & Answers
The calculation is based on the moon's synodic cycle, which averages 29.53 days. Starting from a known new moon date, we calculate what point in the cycle we are at today to determine the current phase.
The moon appears mirrored depending on the hemisphere. In Australia and other southern countries, the crescent appears on the opposite side compared to the Northern Hemisphere. That is why we offer a hemisphere toggle.
The illumination shown is a good approximation based on the average lunar cycle. For high-precision astronomical calculations that account for the moon's elliptical orbit, we recommend specialized software.