It’s the First Quarter phase of the lunar cycle tonight, which means the Moon is halfway between the New Moon and Full Moon phases.
Keep reading to see what you can spot on the Moon’s surface tonight.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Tuesday, July 21, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in First Quarter phase, with 48% of its surface visible.
You won’t need any visual aids to be able to spot the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. Binoculars will also help you to see the Endymion Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. A telescope helps you see even more, including the Apollo 17 and 11 landing spots, and the Rupes Altai.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.
What are Moon phases?
The Moon takes roughly 29.5 days to complete its journey around Earth, passing through eight distinct phases during each lunar cycle, according to NASA. While the Moon’s same side is always visible from our planet, the portion of its surface lit by the Sun changes as it moves along its orbit. These shifting levels of illumination are what create the different appearances we see throughout the month, from a slender crescent shape to a half-lit Moon and finally a bright Full Moon, before the cycle begins once again.
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.
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