Moon Phase Tracker
Explore the current moon phase, calculate illumination percentages, track traditional moon names, and follow the lunar cycle with our interactive calendar.
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30-Day Lunar Calendar
Observer Guide
Lunar Observation Dashboard
Understanding the Lunar Cycle
The moon cycles through 8 distinct phases every 29.53 days, driven by the changing alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.
Waxing Phases (Growing)
- New Moon: Positioned between Earth and Sun; invisible to the naked eye.
- Waxing Crescent: A thin sliver appearing on the right side of the moon.
- First Quarter: Exactly half of the moon is lit (right side).
- Waxing Gibbous: Mostly illuminated, growing towards a Full Moon.
Waning Phases (Shrinking)
- Full Moon: Fully illuminated by the Sun, opposite the Earth.
- Waning Gibbous: Shadow starts creeping in on the right; left side is illuminated.
- Last Quarter: Exactly half of the moon is lit (left side).
- Waning Crescent: A final thin sliver visible on the left side before starting the cycle over.
Lunar Photography Cheat Sheet
Photographing the moon requires high shutter speeds and manually dialed zoom configurations to avoid overexposure.
Gear & Settings
- Lens: Use a telephoto lens (at least 200mm to 600mm) for high-detail surface craters.
- Tripod: A solid tripod is crucial to eliminate lens shake at high zoom factors.
- Focus: Use manual focus with Live View zoomed in on a crater edge or limb.
Exposure (Looney 11 Rule)
- Aperture: Set to f/11 as a baseline.
- Shutter Speed: Matches the inverse of the ISO (e.g., 1/100s at ISO 100).
- ISO: Keep low (ISO 100 or 200) to ensure high clarity and low noise.
Special Celestial Events
Orbit irregularities and alignment geometries create rare visual configurations during specific lunar months.
Supermoons & Eclipses
- Supermoon: Occurs when a Full Moon coincides with perigee (closest point in its elliptical orbit to Earth), appearing up to 14% larger and 30% brighter.
- Lunar Eclipse: Earth passes directly between the Sun and Moon, casting a reddish shadow (Blood Moon).
Blue Moons & Micro-moons
- Blue Moon: The second Full Moon in a calendar month, or the third in a season containing four.
- Micro-moon: A Full Moon at apogee (furthest point from Earth), appearing smaller and dimmer than normal.
Gravitational Dynamics & Tides
The gravitational pull of the moon deforms the oceans and Earth's crust, creating complex daily tidal streams.
Spring Tides
During a New Moon and Full Moon, the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun align, resulting in very high high tides and low low tides.
Neap Tides
During the First and Last Quarter phases, the Sun and Moon are at right angles relative to the Earth. Their gravity partially cancels out, leading to minimal tidal ranges.
Calculation note: Astronomical moon phases and sign allocations are calculated dynamically using standard synodic cycles relative to reference UTC epoch parameters. Actual visibility depends on atmospheric conditions, cloud cover, and local coordinates.