The moon is inching closer to being half lit, which means we’re getting closer to a new moon phase.
The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon’s visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.
So, what’s happening tonight, July 31?
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Thursday, July 31, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent. There’s 41% of the moon’s surface visible to us on Earth (according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation).
It’s day seven of the lunar cycle, and the last moon in July. As we say goodbye to another month, let’s see what will be visible to us on the moon tonight.
With the unaided eye, enjoy a glimpse of the Mare Serenitatis, the Tranquillitatis, and the Mare Fecunditatis, an impact basin also known as the “Sea of Fertility.”
With binoculars, you’ll also get a glimpse of the Endymion Crater, the Mare Nectaris, and the Posidonius Crater, a lava-filled impact crater that’s visible from the fifth to the 19th day of the lunar cycle.
If you have a telescope, position it in the middle right, descending (middle left, ascending if in the Southern Hemisphere) to see the Rima Arladaeus, the Apollo 16, and the Rupes Altai, a circular cliff around 298 miles long.
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When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on August 9. The last full moon was on July 10.
What are moon phases?
According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:
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).
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.
Last Quarter (or Third 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.
