What is the Moon phase today ? Check its current phase, illumination and local moonrise and moonset times below. Search for your city to see local times, explore the seven-day outlook, and find the next new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter.
Thursday, 15 October 2026
Waxing Crescent
Thu 15 Oct · Waxing Crescent
16.9% illuminated on 15 October. Moonlight is increasing through the waxing part of this cycle. The waxing Moon generally favours the evening sky. Its sunlit edge is a good place to look for crater shadows with binoculars. Local moonrise: 10:41 IST; moonset: 20:48 IST.
Phase-based guidance, not a weather forecast. Clouds, terrain and local light pollution affect visibility.Your next moon moments
Your seven-day moon outlook
Select a day to update the Moon, rise/set times and tonight’s guidance. Outlook thumbnails show local noon.
Thursday, 15 October 2026
Waxing Crescent
Thu 15 Oct · Waxing Crescent
16.9% illuminated on 15 October. Moonlight is increasing through the waxing part of this cycle. The waxing Moon generally favours the evening sky. Its sunlit edge is a good place to look for crater shadows with binoculars. Local moonrise: 10:41 IST; moonset: 20:48 IST.
Phase-based guidance, not a weather forecast. Clouds, terrain and local light pollution affect visibility.Your next moon moments
Friday, 16 October 2026
Waxing Crescent
Fri 16 Oct · Waxing Crescent
28.2% illuminated on 16 October. Moonlight is increasing through the waxing part of this cycle. The waxing Moon generally favours the evening sky. Its sunlit edge is a good place to look for crater shadows with binoculars. Local moonrise: 11:34 IST; moonset: 21:40 IST.
Phase-based guidance, not a weather forecast. Clouds, terrain and local light pollution affect visibility.Your next moon moments
Saturday, 17 October 2026
Waxing Crescent
Sat 17 Oct · Waxing Crescent
37.0% illuminated on 17 October. Moonlight is increasing through the waxing part of this cycle. The waxing Moon generally favours the evening sky. Its sunlit edge is a good place to look for crater shadows with binoculars. Local moonrise: 12:22 IST; moonset: 22:35 IST.
Phase-based guidance, not a weather forecast. Clouds, terrain and local light pollution affect visibility.Your next moon moments
Sunday, 18 October 2026
Waxing Crescent
Sun 18 Oct · Waxing Crescent
46.3% illuminated on 18 October. Moonlight is increasing through the waxing part of this cycle. The waxing Moon generally favours the evening sky. Its sunlit edge is a good place to look for crater shadows with binoculars. Local moonrise: 13:05 IST; moonset: 23:31 IST.
Phase-based guidance, not a weather forecast. Clouds, terrain and local light pollution affect visibility.Your next moon moments
Monday, 19 October 2026
Waxing Gibbous
Mon 19 Oct · Waxing Gibbous
55.8% illuminated on 19 October. Moonlight is increasing through the waxing part of this cycle. The waxing Moon is brightening towards Full Moon. Expect increasing evening moonlight, which can make faint stars harder to see. Local moonrise: 13:44 IST; moonset: none on this date.
Phase-based guidance, not a weather forecast. Clouds, terrain and local light pollution affect visibility.Your next moon moments
Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Waxing Gibbous
Tue 20 Oct · Waxing Gibbous
65.2% illuminated on 20 October. Moonlight is increasing through the waxing part of this cycle. The waxing Moon is brightening towards Full Moon. Expect increasing evening moonlight, which can make faint stars harder to see. Local moonrise: 14:19 IST; moonset: 00:28 IST.
Phase-based guidance, not a weather forecast. Clouds, terrain and local light pollution affect visibility.Your next moon moments
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Waxing Gibbous
Wed 21 Oct · Waxing Gibbous
74.3% illuminated on 21 October. Moonlight is increasing through the waxing part of this cycle. The waxing Moon is brightening towards Full Moon. Expect increasing evening moonlight, which can make faint stars harder to see. Local moonrise: 14:50 IST; moonset: 01:25 IST.
Phase-based guidance, not a weather forecast. Clouds, terrain and local light pollution affect visibility.Your next moon moments
Understand today’s moon phase
The phase name describes the shape of the sunlit portion we see from Earth. The illumination percentage adds more detail: a thin crescent has a small illuminated portion, while a nearly full moon has a large one.
A higher percentage does not tell you exactly how bright your surroundings will be. The Moon’s height in the sky, cloud cover and local conditions also affect what you see. Use the phase and local times together when deciding when to look outside.
Moon age means the time since the most recent new moon. It describes the Moon’s position within the current cycle, not its physical age.
When can I see the Moon tonight?
Start with the moonrise and moonset times for your selected city. These show when the Moon is expected to cross an unobstructed horizon. Buildings, hills and trees can delay your first view or hide it before the listed setting time.
The viewing guidance beside the results helps you understand the selected day’s phase. Check a local weather forecast as well: this page provides lunar information, not a cloud or visibility forecast.
You do not have to wait for a full moon to enjoy the view. Around the quarter phases, shadows near the boundary between light and darkness can make craters and mountain features easier to pick out with binoculars or a telescope.
When you check the moon cycle today, you are looking at one of eight specific stages of moon today:
- New Moon
- Waxing Crescent
- First Quarter
- Waxing Gibbous
- Full Moon
- Waning Gibbous
- Third (Last) Quarter
- Waning Crescent
Find your next moon moments
The Your next moon moments section brings together the next New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon and Last Quarter. Use it to find the event you are interested in without searching through a whole month.
A listed phase time is the moment of that astronomical event. It is not necessarily the time the Moon rises in your city. For an evening outing or photograph, check both the event date and the local rise and set times.
Explore the seven-day moon outlook
Select a day in the outlook to compare its phase and illumination with today’s result. The viewing guidance changes with your selection, helping you understand what that day’s Moon may offer.
This is useful when you have more than one evening available. Compare the lunar information first, then choose a time that also suits the weather and your view of the horizon. Use Back to Today when you want to return to the current date.
For a longer plan or a printable record, open the Moon Calendar. It includes monthly and yearly views with PDF, Word and Excel downloads.
Moon Phase Today – FAQ
Ans: The result at the top of this page shows the phase for the displayed date and calculation time. Check the selected city and date first, particularly if you have been browsing the seven-day outlook. Use Back to Today to return to today’s result.
Ans: Waxing means the illuminated portion is increasing toward full moon. Waning means it is decreasing toward new moon. The phase name in the result tells you which part of the cycle you are viewing.
Ans: The Moon can be above the horizon during daylight as well as at night. When its position and brightness make it stand out against the sky, you may see it in the morning or afternoon. Daytime visibility is a normal part of the lunar cycle.