Moon Phase Calculator
Pick any date — past or future — and see the moon's phase, its age in the lunar cycle and how much of it is lit.
The eight phases
One lunar cycle (synodic month) lasts 29.53 days: 🌑 new → 🌒 waxing crescent → 🌓 first quarter → 🌔 waxing gibbous → 🌕 full → 🌖 waning gibbous → 🌗 last quarter → 🌘 waning crescent → back to new. "Waxing" means growing (lit on the right in the northern hemisphere), "waning" shrinking.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this?
It uses the mean synodic month from a known new moon, accurate to within a few hours over decades — right for any calendar purpose. Astronomical almanacs add orbital corrections for to-the-minute timing.
Why does the moon look different in the southern hemisphere?
It's upside-down relative to the northern view: a waxing crescent lit on the right in London is lit on the left in Sydney. The phase and illumination are the same everywhere on Earth.
When's the next full moon good for photography?
Shoot the day before full: the moon rises during golden hour while the landscape still has light, and the slightly-off-full disk keeps crater detail. Check dates here, then plan the shot with our golden hour calculator.
Last updated: 2026-07-13