It’s the Full Moon in parts of the world tonight, and depending on where you are, it’ll either be visible after sunset or in the early hours of the following morning. In all North American timezones, it’ll show up on April 1.
Keep reading to see how much of it is visible tonight.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Wednesday, April 1, the Moon phase is Full Moon. This means 100% of its surface will be illuminated tonight (according to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide).
Tonight, without visual aids, you can spot the Kepler Crater, the Mare Vaporum, and the Mare Serenitatis. With binoculars, you’ll also be able to see the Mare Nectaris, Alphonsus Crater, and the Endymion Crater. With a telescope, you’ll also be able to see the Apollo 11, 14, and 15 landing spots.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon is predicted to take place on May 1, the first of two in May.
What are Moon phases?
According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to circle Earth, moving through eight unique phases along the way. Although we always see the same side from Earth, different amounts of its surface are lit by the Sun as it orbits, causing it to appear fully illuminated, partially lit, or as a thin crescent. These changing views are called the lunar phases, and there are eight altogether:
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.
