The Moon doesn’t look the same every night, and there’s a reason for that. As it moves through the lunar cycle, the amount of light we see changes slightly day by day, creating different phases visible from Earth. So, what’s tonight’s phase, and what does it mean?
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Friday, March 6, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 92% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
The Moon is appearing less visible each night, but for now there’s still so much you can see when you look up. With no visual aids, just craning your neck up and looking, you can see the Aristarchus Plateau, Mare Tranquillitatis, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, you should also catch a glimpse of the Mare Nectaris, Mare Frigoris and the Clavius Crater. A telescope will let you see even more, with standouts including the Linne Crater, Apollo 11 landing spot, and the Caucasus Mountains.
When is the next Full Moon?
In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.
What are Moon phases?
NASA says the Moon takes around 29.5 days to circle Earth, moving through a set of eight distinct phases along the way. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the portion lit by the Sun changes as it travels, which is why it can look full, half-lit, or barely visible at different points in the cycle. These changing views are what we call the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
Mashable Light Speed
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver 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 up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing 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 going dark again.
