The Moon is starting to look a little less full as we move through the Waning Gibbous phase, with the Third Quarter Moon coming up next in the lunar calendar.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Friday, Oct. 30, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waning Gibbous phase, with 78% of its surface visible.
Tonight, without the use of visual aids you should be able to spot the Tycho Crater, Copernicus Crater, and the Mare Serenitatis. Binoculars will also help you see the Alphonsus Crater, the Clavius Crater, and the Apennine Mountains. And, if you have access to a telescope, you’ll also see the Apollo 14 landing spot, the Schiller Crater, and the Caucasus Mountains.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on November 24.
What are Moon phases?
The Moon takes approximately 29.5 days to complete an orbit around Earth, going through a series of phases along the way. Depending on its position relative to Earth and the Sun, the amount of its illuminated surface we can see changes, creating the familiar sequence of crescents, quarter moons and the Full Moon. Once the cycle is complete, the pattern repeats, as explained by NASA.
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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