What is today’s moon phase?
As of Wednesday, January 7, the moon’s phase is waning gibbous. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 80% of the Moon will be illuminated tonight.
There’s a lot to see when you look up tonight. Without any visual aid you will be able to see Mares Imbrium and Tranquillitatis as well as Kepler Crater. With binoculars you will also see the Gassendi and Alphonsus craters and Mare Nectaris. If you want to see even more locations, including the Apollo 15 landing spot, Schiller Crater, and the Descartes Highlands, add a telescope to your lineup.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on 1 February. The last full moon was on January 3.
What are the moon phases?
According to NASA, the Moon completes one full orbit of its phases in about 29.5 days, a period called the lunar cycle. As the Moon revolves around the Earth, it goes through a sequence of distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the portion illuminated by the Sun varies depending on its position in the orbit. This variation in sunlight causes the Moon to appear completely illuminated, partially illuminated, or completely dark at different points in the cycle. The lunar cycle is made up of eight phases:
New Moon – The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it is invisible to the eye).
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Waxing Crescent – A small patch of light visible to the right (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – The right half of the Moon is illuminated. It looks like a half moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half burnt, but not full yet.
Full Moon – The entire face of the Moon is illuminated and completely visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon begins to lose light from the right. (Northern hemisphere)
Third quarter (or last quarter) – Another half moon, but now the left side is illuminated.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left before it gets dark again.
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