We’ve just passed the First Quarter, meaning the moon is now on its way toward becoming full. This is part of the lunar cycle, the moon’s journey from New Moon to Full and back again, a rhythm that takes about 29 and a half days to complete.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Thursday, Oct. 30, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. There will be 59% of the moon lit up tonight, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.
Without any visual aids, there’s lots for you to see tonight, including the Mare Vaporum, the Mare Crisium, and the Mare Serenitatis. Have a pair of binoculars hiding anywhere? Dig them out to see the Endymion Crater, Alphonsus Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. With a telescope you’ll also see the Rima Hyginus, the Linne Crater, and the Caucasus Mountains.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.
What are moon phases?
NASA tells us that the moon goes through phases as it completes 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 can look full, partially lit, or even disappear entirely, but we always see the same side. What changes is the amount of sunlight reflected from its surface, depending on its position in orbit. This is called the lunar cycle.
The eight main moon phases are:
Mashable Light Speed
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. (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.
