We’re getting closer to the Full Moon now, with the Moon looking bigger and brighter in the night sky. There’s still plenty to see on its surface in the meantime.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Sunday, Sept. 20, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 64% of its surface visible.
Without the assistance of visual aids, you should be able to spot the Mare Vaporum, Mare Serenitatis, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, they’ll also help you see the Alphonsus Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Apennine Mountains. Plus, if you have access to a telescope, you’ll see the Apollo 11, 16 and 17 landing spots.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.
What are Moon phases?
The Moon doesn’t look the same from night to night. As it travels around Earth, which takes about 29.5 days, we see different portions of its illuminated side. This is what creates the lunar phases, with the Moon gradually progressing from a thin crescent to a half Moon and then a Full Moon before the cycle starts over. According to NASA, the phase we see is determined by the Moon’s position relative to both Earth and the Sun.
The eight 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.
