Looking up at the Moon tonight and wondering what exactly you’re looking at? Wonder no more, this is what you can see.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Sunday, June 7, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. Tonight, 62% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide.
Without visual aids you should be able to spot the Oceanus Procellarum, Kepler Crater, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars you’ll also spot the Gassendi Crater, the Mare Humorum, and the Alphonsus Crater. And finally, with a telescope you’ll also see the Apollo 12 landing spot, the Schiller Crater, and the Rima Ariadaeus.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.
What are Moon phases?
NASA explains that the Moon completes one full orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, during which it moves through a sequence of eight phases. Even though the same side of the Moon always faces us, the amount of sunlight we can see changes as it travels along its path. This shifting light is what produces the lunar shapes, ranging from slim crescents to half-lit Moons and the bright Full Moon. All of these stages together make up the lunar cycle:
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).
Mashable Light Speed
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.
Other Articles
No Comment! Be the first one.