Moon phase todayWaxing Gibbous
81% illuminated · Refine and adjust. Almost there.
The Moon is in Pisces, moving into Aries on October 23 at 7:53 PM UTC.
What the waxing gibbous means →Coming up
Full Moon in Taurus
Mon, October 26
Last Quarter in Leo
Sun, November 1
New Moon in Scorpio
Mon, November 9
First Quarter in Aquarius
Tue, November 17
Full Moon in Gemini
Tue, November 24
Last Quarter in Virgo
Tue, December 1
New Moon in Sagittarius
Wed, December 9
First Quarter in Pisces
Thu, December 17
Dates in UTC.
The eight phases
Why the Moon has phases
The Moon makes no light of its own. The Sun always lights one half of it, and as the Moon orbits Earth you see more or less of that lit half. On the Sun's side of Earth the lit half faces away and you get a new moon, and on the far side the whole lit half faces you as a full moon. One round from new moon to new moon takes 29.53 days on average.
Waxing or waning? In the Northern Hemisphere a waxing moon is lit on the right and a waning moon on the left. In the Southern Hemisphere it is the other way round, and near the equator a crescent lies on its back like a bowl.
Common questions
What are the eight phases of the moon?
New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter and Waning Crescent. The full cycle, from one new moon to the next, takes about 29.5 days.
What does waxing and waning mean?
Waxing means the lit part of the Moon is growing, from new moon to full moon. Waning means it is shrinking, from full moon back to new moon.
What should I do on a full moon?
Traditionally, the full moon is for gratitude and release: noticing what came to fruition and letting go of habits or plans that have run their course. The full moon guide has simple rituals for it.
Why does each full moon have a zodiac sign?
At any moment the Moon is passing through one of the twelve zodiac signs. The sign it is in at the exact full or new moon is said to color that moon’s themes, which is why astrologers talk about a "Full Moon in Aries" or a "New Moon in Libra".
The moon, in your daily reading
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