What phase is the Moon tonight?
Tonight the Moon is a waning crescent Moon, 28% lit and about 24 days past new Moon. It’s shrinking toward new Moon on Sat, Oct 10. From London it rises at 01:40 and sets at 16:38, local time.
Is tonight good for stargazing?
Partly. The Moon is 28% lit and up for part of the night, so the darkest sky runs from 20:20 to 01:41. Save faint galaxies and the Milky Way for then. Planets and bright clusters are fine at any time.
This looks at moonlight only. Weather isn’t available on the web yet, so check a local forecast for clouds.
What’s in the sky tonightWhat does the Moon look like tonight?
- With your eyes
- A thin crescent low in the east before dawn, with earthshine on the dark part.
- With binoculars
- Earthshine and the crescent together make a lovely sight in the morning twilight.
- With a telescope
- Craters along the eastern edge of Oceanus Procellarum stand out near the terminator.
Moon phases this month
| Phase | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Last quarter | Sat, Oct 3, 2026 | 14:25 |
| New Moon | Sat, Oct 10, 2026 | 16:50 |
| First quarter | Sun, Oct 18, 2026 | 17:13 |
| Full Moon | Mon, Oct 26, 2026 | 04:12 |
| Last quarter | Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 20:28 |
| New Moon | Mon, Nov 9, 2026 | 07:02 |
| First quarter | Tue, Nov 17, 2026 | 11:48 |
| Full Moon | Tue, Nov 24, 2026 | 14:54 |
Questions
Why does the Moon have phases?
The Moon is always half lit by the Sun. As it orbits Earth every 29.5 days, we see different amounts of that lit half, from none at new Moon to all of it at full Moon.
Does the Moon look the same from the Southern Hemisphere?
The phase is the same everywhere on Earth at the same moment, but from the Southern Hemisphere the Moon appears upside down compared with the north, so a waxing crescent is lit on the left.
Is a full Moon bad for stargazing?
For faint galaxies, nebulae and the Milky Way, yes: moonlight brightens the whole sky. Planets, double stars, bright clusters and the Moon itself are fine.
Phase, illumination, moonrise and moonset: computed for your place and time with the open-source astronomy-engine library. Moon render: procedural, not a photo. Data & Licences