The moon is completely out of sight tonight, that’s because it is the new moon. This means that the area in front of us is in shadow, so we have to look there. After tonight, we’ll be in a new lunar cycle and the Moon will slowly begin to get brighter each night.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Thursday, November 20, the moon phase is new moon. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Observations, this means 0% of the Moon is illuminated tonight. So, if you were hoping to catch a glimpse of the moon tonight, you’re out of luck. Enjoy the dark sky now, the moon will be back in a few days.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on December 4, making it the last of three consecutive supermoons. The last full moon was on 5 November.
What are the moon phases?
According to NASA, the moon’s phases are part of a repeating lunar cycle that lasts about 29.5 days. They describe how the Moon appears from Earth as it orbits our planet. Although we always see the same side of the Moon, the amount of sunlight illuminating it varies throughout its orbit. That is why sometimes it appears full, sometimes half, and sometimes disappears completely (Amavasya). There are eight main moon 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.