We’re a day away from another moon phase, which can mean one thing; the moon has almost half returned to us. After last week’s New Moon, it is slowly returning. And there is much to discover and see with tonight’s moon.
What is the moon phase today?
Since Tuesday, October 28, the phase of the moon is the waxing crescent. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation, 39% of the Moon will be illuminated tonight.
Without any visual aid you should be able to see Mare Crisium, Mare Fecunditatis and Mare Serenitatis this evening. With a pair of binoculars you’ll see even more, including Endymion Crater, Mare Nectaris and Posidonius Crater. By adding a telescope to your setup, you should also be able to spot the landing sites of Apollo 11 and 17, as well as the Valentine Dome, a volcanic dome that NASA says is almost the same height as the Eiffel Tower. It’s called Valentine because it looks like a heart in certain lights.
When will the next full moon be?
The next full moon will be on November 5.
What are moon phases?
NASA explains that the Moon goes through phases during its 29.5-day orbit around Earth. The changing angles between the Sun, Moon and Earth cause the different phases we observe. From Earth, the Moon may appear full, partially lit, or even disappear completely, but we always see the same side. What changes is the amount of sunlight reflected from its surface, depending on its position in orbit.
The eight main phases of the moon are:
Crushable speed of light
New Moon – The Moon sits between the Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the naked eye).
Waxed Crescent – A small burst of light appears on the right side (northern hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The entire face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The moon begins to lose light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before turning dark again.
