We’re once again at the part of the lunar cycle where the Moon is almost completely out of view. This is the end stage of the lunar cycle, and when we approach the New Moon.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Tuesday, Oct. 6, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waning Crescent phase, with 21% of its surface visible.
Visibility is decreasing each night, but for now there is still a chance to spot the Aristarchus Plateau and the Kepler Crater without any visual aids. If you have binoculars or a telescope, you’ll also see the Grimaldi Basin and the Gassendi Crater.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.
What are Moon phases?
The Moon completes an orbit around Earth in roughly 29.5 days. During that time, its position changes relative to the Earth and Sun, altering how much of the Moon’s illuminated surface is visible to us. This produces the familiar lunar phases, beginning with a thin crescent and progressing through the quarter phases before reaching a Full Moon. The sequence then repeats as the Moon continues its orbit. According to NASA, the phase visible from Earth is determined by the Moon’s changing position in relation to both Earth and the Sun.
The eight phases are:
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
