Moon Phase Calendar: Full Moon, New Moon and Quarters
The box at the top shows how the moon looks today, how much of it is lit and when it rises and sets where you are. Below: a monthly calendar with every phase and the dates for the next twelve months.
Source: Jean Meeus: Astronomical Algorithms (Willmann-Bell) – lunar position, phases, rising and setting. Updated: .
How it is calculated
How it is calculated
New moon, full moon and the quarters are calculated with the formulas of Jean Meeus (“Astronomical Algorithms”, chapter on the phases of the Moon, with all periodic corrections). The Moon’s position for illumination and moonrise comes from the ELP-2000/82 lunar theory as abridged by Meeus. We checked the results against the U.S. Naval Observatory: all 49 principal phases of 2027 agree within two minutes, and so do moonrise and moonset.
What the phases mean
At new moon the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun and cannot be seen; at full moon it is opposite the Sun. The quarters lie in between, when half of the disk is lit. A lunar cycle lasts 29.53 days on average, so the dates move from month to month. The moon age counts the days since the last new moon.
Limits
The table uses US Eastern Time; the monthly calendar uses your browser’s time zone. Moonrise and moonset assume a clear horizon – hills, buildings and the weather shift the visible moonrise. The calendar contains astronomical data only, no astrological advice.
Frequently asked questions
What phase is the moon today?
The box at the top shows the phase, the illuminated percentage and the moon age for the current moment.
When is the next full moon?
The next four principal phases are listed under the moon picture; the table shows all dates for the next twelve months with the time in Eastern Time.
How long is a lunar cycle?
From new moon to new moon takes 29.53 days on average (the synodic month). Individual cycles vary by several hours because the Moon’s orbit is elliptical.
What time does the moon rise tonight?
New York is preset. “Moonrise for my location” calculates for where you are; your location is neither stored nor sent anywhere.
Why is the full moon on a different day every month?
A lunar cycle lasts 29.53 days, a calendar month 28 to 31 days. So the full moon usually moves one or two days earlier each month, and every two to three years a month has two full moons.
Sources and legal basis
- Jean Meeus: Astronomical Algorithms (Willmann-Bell) – lunar position, phases, rising and setting
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Phases of the Moon (reference values)
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Phases of the Moon and Percent of the Moon Illuminated
- NASA Eclipse Web Site (Espenak/Meeus): Polynomial Expressions for Delta T
- NASA Science: Moon Phases
- MDN Web Docs – Geolocation.getCurrentPosition()
As of:
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