What is the moon phase today?

As of the last update the moon was a waxing gibbous, about 98% illuminated and 14.1 days into its roughly 29.5-day cycle. The page recalculates this in your browser the moment you open it, so the figure you see is for right now.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon is August 28, 2026 at 04:18 UTC. That is a single instant worldwide — only the local clock reading changes, so the page converts it to your own time zone.

Is the moon phase the same everywhere in the world?

Yes. Everyone sees the same phase at the same moment. Two things do change with location: the local clock time of that instant, and the way the moon appears rotated — in the southern hemisphere the lit side shows on the opposite limb, which is why this page flips the picture below the equator.

What does moon age mean?

How long it has been since the last new moon, in days. A full cycle averages about 29.5 days, so an age near 0 is a new moon, near 7.4 a first quarter, near 14.8 a full moon and near 22 a last quarter.

How accurate are these times?

The phase instants are computed with the standard Meeus method, which is accurate to well under a minute. Moonrise and moonset are calculated for the coordinates shown and are typically within a couple of minutes; hills, buildings and elevation shift what you actually see.

Does the moon phase affect the tides?

It contributes. Around new and full moons the sun and moon line up and the difference between high and low water tends to be larger — spring tides; near the quarter moons it tends to be smaller — neap tides. Local conditions matter too, so the biggest tides do not always fall exactly on the phase, and you should read a real tide prediction for a specific place.

TimeAndSpace.Science

Moon Phase Today

Tonight's phase, how much of the moon is lit, and exactly how long until the next full moon — counted down in your own time zone.

Moonrise and moonset depend on where you are — the phase doesn’t. See exact location.

Waxing gibbous

98% illuminated · waxing

Moon age: 14.1 days
Cycle position: 46% through
Distance: 395,132 km

Moonrise & moonset tonight

Unlike the phase, these depend on where you are.

Moonrise—

Moonset—

Above the horizon now—

Shown for August 26, 2026 20:46 UTC — this updates to your current time when the page loads.

Next phases

Full moon August 28, 2026 04:18 UTC

Last quarter September 4, 2026 07:51 UTC

New moon September 11, 2026 03:26 UTC

First quarter September 18, 2026 20:43 UTC

Each phase happens at one instant everywhere on Earth. Times are shown in your time zone once the page loads, with UTC alongside.

The next 30 days

Aug 2697%

Aug 27100%

Aug 28Full moon

Aug 2998%

Aug 3094%

Aug 3188%

Sep 180%

Sep 270%

Sep 359%

Sep 4Last quarter

Sep 536%

Sep 626%

Sep 716%

Sep 89%

Sep 93%

Sep 100%

Sep 11New moon

Sep 122%

Sep 137%

Sep 1413%

Sep 1520%

Sep 1629%

Sep 1738%

Sep 18First quarter

Sep 1957%

Sep 2066%

Sep 2175%

Sep 2283%

Sep 2389%

Sep 2495%

Each disc is that day's phase at 12:00 UTC. Primary phases are labelled. For a month at a time, see the moon phase calendar.

What this is, and how it works

This is tonight’s moon, computed for right now. The disc is the phase as seen from the ground — the same shape everyone on Earth sees at the same instant. The date box jumps to any night; Today brings it back.

Moonrise and moonset depend on where you are; the phase does not. The 30-day strip is the cycle at a glance. Below the equator the lit side swaps limbs, which is why the picture flips in the southern hemisphere.

Questions this page answers

The question is the link. A short answer sits here; tap through for the drawing and the deeper pass.

Why does the Moon change shape? The Moon makes no light of its own. One half is always lit by the Sun. Phases are your changing view of that lit half as the Moon goes around Earth — about 29.5 days from full moon to full moon.
What is a synodic month? A synodic month is the time from one full moon to the next, about 29.5 days. It is longer than the Moon’s trip around Earth relative to the stars, because Earth has moved and the Moon must catch up to the same angle with the Sun.
What is tidal locking? The Moon keeps the same face toward Earth because it turns once in the same time it goes around us. That match is tidal locking — not a dark side that never sees the Sun.
What is libration? Libration is a small wobble in the Moon’s facing. We still have one near side, but over time we see about 59% of the surface, not 50%. The extra is a peek around the edges.
Why does moonrise get later each night? The Moon moves east along its orbit while Earth turns. Earth has to spin extra — about 50 minutes — to bring the Moon back to the same place on your sky. That extra is why moonrise (and moonset) slip later day by day.
Why isn’t there an eclipse every month? The Moon’s path around Earth is tipped about 5° to Earth’s path around the Sun. Most months the full Moon rides above or below Earth’s shadow, and the new Moon rides above or below the Sun. An eclipse needs the Moon at a crossing, not just at a phase.

Moonrise & moonset by city

Rise and set times are local — pick your city for tonight's times, the direction to look, and a 7-day outlook.

San Antonio, TX San Jose, CA Indianapolis, IN Jacksonville, FL Columbus, OH Charlotte, NC Fort Worth, TX El Paso, TX Memphis, TN Baltimore, MD Oklahoma City, OK Louisville, KY

Browse by state

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Moon calendars & events

Full moon calendar Lunar eclipses Supermoons Blue moons 2025 moon phases 2026 moon phases 2027 moon phases 2028 moon phases 2029 moon phases

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