Phase of the Moon
Current Phase
| Date & time | Mon, Apr 29 2024, 2:13:28 UTC |  |
|---|---|---|
| Phase of the Moon | ||
| % current cycle | 0.0% | |
| % full | 0.0% | |
| Time to next Full Moon | Approx. 14 days, 18 hours | |
| Time to next New Moon | Approx. 29 days, 12 hours | |
| Zodiacal position of Moon | 0° of Aries (0°) |
Note: “New Moon,” “First quarter,” “Full Moon” and “Last quarter” are shown as the phase when within approximately 12 hours (approximately 1.7% of the Moon's cycle; 1 day is approximately 3.4% of the Moon's cycle) of the astronomical event. The image shown is also accurate to within approximately 12 hours. The calculations of the times to the next New and Full Moons are accurate to within approximately 15%. Detailed Sun and Moon calendars are also available.
The Phases
The Moon is described as “waxing” when increasing in illumination from the New Moon to the Full Moon, and “waning” when decreasing in illumination from the Full Moon back to the New Moon. Viewed from the Earth, the “shadow-line” (technically called the “terminator”) always moves from right to left across the face of the Moon in the northern hemisphere; if the right-hand side of the Moon is light, there will be a Full Moon before the next New Moon, and vice versa if the right-hand side of the Moon is dark. “Gibbous” is an archaic word denoting a swelling or convexity (also synonymous with “humpbacked”) whilst “crescent” is self-explanatory.
| Moon | Phase | % Cycle |
|---|---|---|
 |
New Moon | 0% / 100% |
 |
Waxing crescent | 0%–25% |
 |
First quarter | 25% |
 |
Waxing gibbous | 25%–50% |
 |
Full Moon | 50% |
 |
Waning gibbous | 50%–75% |
 |
Last quarter | 75% |
 |
Waning crescent | 75%–100% |
Even though the Moon orbits the Earth in approximately 27.3 days, a complete Moon cycle (i.e. from New Moon to New Moon) takes approximately 29.5 days as a result of the Earth's motion around the Sun.
Full Moon Names
| Month | English Name | Native American Name |
|---|---|---|
| January | Old Moon | Wolf Moon |
| February | Wolf Moon | Snow Moon |
| March | Lenten Moon | Worm Moon |
| April | Egg Moon | Pink Moon |
| May | Milk Moon | Flower Moon |
| June | Flower Moon | Strawberry Moon |
| July | Hay Moon | Buck Moon |
| August | Grain Moon | Sturgeon Moon |
| September | Fruit Moon | Harvest Moon |
| October | Harvest Moon | Hunter's Moon |
| November | Hunter's Moon | Beaver Moon |
| December | Oak Moon | Cold Moon |
In modern usage, the term “Blue Moon” refers to the second of two full moons to occur in a single calendar month. On average this happens once every 2.7 years. The term “Black Moon” — according to one definition — refers to a condition where February (being the only month shorter than a lunar cycle) has no Full Moon at all, in which case either the preceding January or the following March, or both, will have a Blue Moon. A Black Moon occurs approximately once every 19 years. Both of these conditions can vary according to time zone.
