The Moon is looking a little different tonight as it continues towards the Full Moon. With more of its surface illuminated each evening, there are plenty of lunar features to try and spot if you’ve got clear skies. Here’s what to look out for tonight.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Thursday, Sept. 24, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 94% of its surface visible.
Without the assistance of visual aids, you should be able to spot the Mare Crisium, Mare Fecunditatis, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, they’ll also help you see the Mare Nectaris, Gassendi Crater, and the Mare Frigoris. On top of this, if you have access to a telescope, you’ll see the Apollo 17 landing spot, the Rima Hyginus, and the Rupes Altai.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.
What are Moon phases?
The Moon goes through a repeating cycle as it orbits Earth, taking roughly 29.5 days to complete. During that time, the amount of its sunlit side visible from Earth changes, giving us the different lunar phases. It starts with a slim crescent, grows to a half Moon and eventually reaches the Full Moon, before beginning the cycle again. NASA explains that which phase we see depends on where the Moon is in relation to 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.