Despite being just three days after the Full Moon, the Moon is already starting to look a lot smaller in the sky. This is because of where it is in the lunar cycle, a 29.5-day process where the Moon completes its orbit.
Keep reading to find out what tonight’s Moon is doing and what phase you can spot in the sky.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Tuesday, Jan. 6, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 87% of the moon will be lit up tonight.
That means there is enough of its surface lit up that there’s plenty for keen moon-gazers to see. Without any visual aids you’ll be able to spot the Mare Imbrium, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Copernicus Crater. With binoculars you’ll see much more, including the Alps Mountains (a mountain range at the northeast of the Mare Imbrium, not the ones in Europe), the Apennine Mountains, and the Mare Humorum.
Add a telescope to your lineup if you want to spot even more, such as the Apollo 15 and 17 landing spots and the Schiller Crater.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on Feb. 1. The last full moon was on Jan. 3.
What are moon phases?
NASA tells us that the Moon completes one full orbit of its phases in about 29.5 days, a period referred to as the lunar cycle. As the Moon travels around the Earth, it passes through a sequence of distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the portion lit by the Sun changes depending on its position in orbit. This variation in sunlight is what causes the Moon to appear fully illuminated, partly lit, or completely dark at different points in the cycle. The lunar cycle is made up of eight phases:
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.
