Lunar calendar · live phase
Moon Phases
Today’s moon phase, illumination, zodiac sign, and moonrise/moonset for your city — plus monthly calendars and upcoming phase dates.
Right now
Full today view → · September 2026 calendar → · Moon distance →
Next major phases
Upcoming new moon, quarters, and full moon from today.
September 2026 preview
The 8 moon phases
Each phase of the synodic month — open a card for upcoming dates.
Moon tools
The moon phases hub shows today’s lunar phase, illumination percentage, moon age since the last new moon, and zodiac sign for the date you pick. Choose a city—or use browser geolocation—to estimate local moonrise and moonset from latitude and longitude. A calendar grid marks every day in September 2026 with phase icons so you can scan the month at a glance. The page hydrates live values in your browser with astronomy-engine while the server still renders a complete view without JavaScript.
How moon phases work
Phases are geometry, not the Moon changing shape. As the Moon orbits Earth, the angle between the Sun, Moon, and Earth changes. We see different fractions of the sunlit near side. One complete cycle of appearances—the synodic month—averages about 29.53 days from new moon to new moon.
Each cycle passes through eight common labels: new, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent. Waxing means the lit portion grows; waning means it shrinks. “Quarter” names refer to orbital position; the disc looks half-lit from Earth at first and last quarter.
Illumination vs phase angle
Illumination is the percentage of the near side that appears lit (0% near new moon, 100% near full). Phase angle (elongation) measures how far the Moon has traveled past new moon in degrees around the sky—about 0° at new, 90° at first quarter, 180° at full, and 270° at last quarter. Moon age counts days since the previous new moon; day 14 or 15 is usually near full, but the exact maximum can fall between calendar days depending on time zone.
Open today’s moon phase for a focused live view, or browse the illustrated gallery of all eight phases from the hub.
Moonrise, moonset, and planning
Moonrise and moonset depend on latitude, longitude, date, and horizon geometry. A full moon often rises near sunset—useful for photographers—but high latitudes may skip rise or set on some dates. City presets and optional custom coordinates keep rise/set rows tied to your sky. Hills and buildings can still shift observed times by minutes compared with flat sea-level formulas.
Compare moon times with sunrise and sunset when scheduling outdoor shoots. For darker skies near new moon, pair with dawn and dusk to see civil and astronomical twilight windows.
Full and new moon schedules
Jump to 2026 full moon pages when you need exact dates for event marketing or observatory nights. New moon dates matter for eclipse planning—solar eclipses occur only near new moon; lunar eclipses cluster near full moon. Browse all full moons in 2026 for a year-at-a-glance list.
Algorithms we use
Server-side dates follow Jean Meeus–style methods common in almanacs (MoonPhaseEngine). After load, the interactive hero and rise/set refresh with astronomy-engine in your browser for higher-fidelity live values. Results are suitable for education and casual planning, not legal metrology or sub-minute observatory scheduling without verifying at your coordinates.
Related tools
Continue with moon distance, zodiac calculator, and date tools. Print civil months from monthly calendars when you want wall planners beside lunar notes.
Frequently asked questions
What does the moon phases hub show?
The hub displays today’s lunar phase, illumination percentage, moon age since the last new moon, and zodiac sign. A calendar grid marks each day in the current month with phase icons. Choose a city—or use geolocation—to estimate local moonrise and moonset. The page also lists the next new moon, quarters, and full moon with countdowns.
What are the eight named moon phases?
The synodic cycle passes through new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent. Waxing means the lit portion grows; waning means it shrinks. Quarter moons appear half-lit from Earth even though the names refer to orbital position, not a half-full sphere.
What is the difference between illumination and phase angle?
Illumination is the percent of the near side that looks lit from Earth. Phase angle (elongation) is how far the Moon has traveled past new moon in degrees—about 0° at new, 90° at first quarter, 180° at full, and 270° at last quarter. Moon age counts days since the previous new moon on the roughly 29.53-day synodic cycle.
Why do moonrise times change with city?
Moonrise and moonset depend on latitude, longitude, date, and horizon geometry. A full moon often rises near sunset, but high latitudes may skip rise or set on some dates. Pick a city preset or enter coordinates before trusting rise and set rows—hills and buildings shift observed times compared with flat sea-level formulas.
How is synodic month different from sidereal month?
The synodic month averages about 29.5 days from new moon to new moon and governs phases as we see them from Earth. The sidereal month—orbit relative to distant stars—is slightly shorter. Phase calendars use the synodic cycle because the question is how the sun-lit face appears from here.
Can I find all full moons for the year?
Yes—open the full moon year page from hub navigation for a complete list. New moon dates matter for eclipse planning because solar eclipses occur only near new moon while lunar eclipses cluster near full moon. Times suit education and casual planning, not sub-minute observatory scheduling without local verification.
Which algorithms power the calculations?
Server pages use Jean Meeus–style formulas in MoonPhaseEngine so the HTML is complete without JavaScript. After load, the live hero and rise/set refresh with astronomy-engine in the browser. Both are suitable for learning and planning; critical observing should still be checked against a trusted local almanac.
Is this hub a religious lunar calendar?
No—this page is astronomical, not an authority on Islamic, Hebrew, or other religious lunar months that follow separate rules. Use it for gardening notes, photography planning, and skywatching context. Pair with sunrise and sunset or dawn and dusk pages when scheduling outdoor shoots around twilight.