Tonight is a new lunar phase and the first day of a new lunar cycle. There are still a few more nights until the moon is fully visible, but for now it is slowly returning to us.
What is the moon phase today?
Starting Wednesday, October 22, the lunar phase is Waxing Moon. This means that tonight 1% of the moon will be illuminated, according to NASA Daily Moon Observation.
There is still very little moon on display tonight, so there is nothing to see on its surface.
When will the next full moon be?
The next full moon will be on November 5.
What are the lunar phases?
According POTMoon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon and Earth. Moon phases are what the moon looks like from Earth as it revolves around us. We always see the same side of the Moon, but the amount of it illuminated by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons and moons that seem completely invisible. There are eight main lunar phases and they follow a repeating cycle.
The eight main lunar phases are:
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New Moon – The Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it is invisible to the eye).
Crescent moon: a small strip of light appears on the right side (northern hemisphere).
First Quarter Crescent: Half of the moon is illuminated on the right side. It looks like a half moon.
Growing gibbous: More than half is illuminated, but not yet full.
Full Moon: The entire face of the moon is illuminated and completely visible.
Waning gibbous: The moon begins to lose light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third quarter (or last quarter): Another half moon, but now the left side is illuminated.
Waning Moon: A thin strip of light remains on the left side before darkening again.
