#CURRENT LUNAR PHASE CALENDAR HOW TO#
#CURRENT LUNAR PHASE CALENDAR FULL#

The Moon takes 27.3 days to orbit Earth, but the lunar phase cycle (from new Moon to new Moon) is 29.5 days. As the Sun sets, the Moon rises with the side that faces Earth fully exposed to sunlight (5).The Moon has phases because it orbits Earth, which causes the portion we see illuminated to change.

#CURRENT LUNAR PHASE CALENDAR FULL#

At full Moon, the Moon is behind Earth in space with respect to the Sun. At first quarter, the half-lit Moon is highest in the sky at sunset, then sets about six hours later (3). In other words, the Moon is between Earth and Sun. You can find Tariq at and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network.At the new Moon phase, the Moon is so close to the Sun in the sky that none of the side facing Earth is illuminated (position 1 in illustration). He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. Before joining, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. He became 's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. Usually, the moon passes above or below the sun from our vantage point, but occasionally it passes right in front of the sun, and we get a solar eclipse. Now, the moon is between Earth and the sun. Waning crescent: Less than half of the moon's face appears to be getting sunlight, and the amount is decreasing.įinally, the moon is back to its new moon starting position. The sun's light is now shining on the other half of the visible face of the moon. Last quarter: The moon has moved another quarter of the way around Earth, to the third quarter position. Waning gibbous: More than half of the moon's face appears to be getting sunlight, but the amount is decreasing. When they do, we have a lunar eclipse as Earth's shadow crosses the moon's face.

The sun, Earth and the moon are aligned, but because the moon’s orbit is not exactly in the same plane as Earth’s orbit around the sun, they rarely form a perfect line. More than half of the moon's face appears to be getting sunlight.įull moon: The moon is 180 degrees away from the sun and is as close as it can be to being fully illuminated by the sun from our perspective.

Waxing gibbous: The area of illumination continues to increase. See the moon phases, and the difference between a waxing and waning crescent or gibbous moon, in this infographic about the lunar cycle each month. Moon phases 2023 with times (Eastern Time) New Moon If you're looking for imaging gear, our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography guides can help prepare you for the next lunar sight.

#CURRENT LUNAR PHASE CALENDAR HOW TO#

There's even a guide on how to photograph a solar eclipse. You can also check out our guide on how to photograph the moon, as well as how to photograph a lunar eclipse for major moon events. If you need equipment for viewing the moon, check out our guide to the best telescopes and the best telescopes for kids. Here are the moon phases for 2023, according to NASA's SKYCAL. What we'll see is only half of the half of the moon (a quarter) that will be illuminated in this phase.Īccording to NASA, the last quarter moon usually rises around midnight and sets around noon, local time. ET (1931 GMT on June 4.)ĭuring the last quarter moon, only the left half of the moon will appear illuminated, as seen from Earth. The next moon phase milestone in June will be the Last Quarter Moon.

Current lunar phase calendar