The Moon right now
| Phase | Waxing crescent |
|---|---|
| Illuminated | 10.1% |
| Age | 3.3 days since the new Moon |
| Trend | Waxing: the lit part grows every evening |
| Distance from Earth | 404,974 km · light-time 1.35 s |
| Angle from the Sun | 36.8° · 0° new, 180° full |
| Zodiac constellation | Sagittarius · from the ecliptic longitude |
| Ecliptic longitude and latitude | 267.0° · −4.3° · tropical Sagittarius 27.0° |
The drawing shows the Moon with north up, as seen from the northern hemisphere. From the southern hemisphere the picture is turned around: the lit side is on the left while the Moon is waxing. Moonrise and moonset depend on where you are: the all-sky disk places the Moon above your own horizon.
Next Moon phases
Instant of each phase in Universal Time, good to about two minutes. The closest full Moon of the coming months is on December 24, 356,740 km from Earth.
| Phase | Date | UTC | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| First quarter | 11:48 | ||
| Full Moon | 14:54 | 360,769 km | |
| Last quarter | 06:09 | ||
| New Moon | 00:52 | 404,686 km | |
| First quarter | 05:43 | ||
| Full Moon | 01:28 | 356,740 km | |
| Last quarter | 19:00 | ||
| New Moon | 20:24 | 406,521 km | |
| First quarter | 20:35 | ||
| Full Moon | 12:17 | 357,643 km | |
| Last quarter | 10:55 | ||
| New Moon | 15:56 | 402,715 km |
Every phase of the year is in the astronomy calendars for 2026 and 2027.
The Moon over the next 30 days
Phase at 00:00 Universal Time on each date.
- 7%
- 12%
- 19%
- 27%
- 36%
- 45%
- 55%
- 65%
- 74%
- 83%
- 91%
- 96%
- 99%
- 100%
- 97%
- 92%
- 84%
- 74%
- 64%
- 53%
- 42%
- 32%
- 23%
- 15%
- 9%
- 4%
- 1%
- 0%
- 1%
- 4%
Perigee and apogee
The orbit of the Moon is an ellipse: once per orbit it passes closest to Earth (perigee) and once farthest (apogee). A full Moon near perigee looks about 14% wider and 30% brighter than one near apogee; this is what the press calls a supermoon.
| Date | Event | Distance from Earth |
|---|---|---|
| Apogee (farthest) | 405,618 km | |
| Perigee (closest) | 359,346 km | |
| Apogee (farthest) | 406,417 km | |
| Perigee (closest) | 356,651 km | |
| Apogee (farthest) | 406,604 km | |
| Perigee (closest) | 357,283 km |
Why the Moon has phases
Half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun. What changes is how much of that lit half is turned toward Earth, and that depends on the angle between the Moon and the Sun in our sky. At new Moon the two are in the same direction and we face the dark side; at full Moon they are opposite and we face the lit side.
One cycle of phases, the synodic month, lasts 29.53 days on average. It is two days longer than the 27.32 days the Moon takes to circle the Earth, because meanwhile the Earth has moved on around the Sun and the Moon must travel a little further to line up again.
The percentage lit is the fraction of the disc that is in sunlight, computed from the Sun–Moon–Earth angle. The phase name follows the angle from the Sun, in eight equal steps: a "full Moon" label covers about a day and a half on either side of the exact instant.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Moon phase today?
On November 12, 2026, the Moon phase is waxing crescent, 10.1% lit, 3.3 days after the new Moon. Next: first quarter on November 17 at 11:48 UTC.
When is the next full Moon?
The next full Moon is on November 24 at 14:54 UTC, with the Moon 360,769 km from Earth.
When is the next new Moon?
The next new Moon is on December 9 at 00:52 UTC.
How far is the Moon from Earth right now?
On November 12, 2026, 14:27 UTC the Moon is 404,974 km from the centre of the Earth. Its distance varies between about 356,400 km at the closest perigees and 406,700 km at the farthest apogees.