The Moon is in its waning phase. This means that each night until the New Moon, it will appear smaller and smaller. This is because of where we are in the lunar cycle, a cycle of roughly 29.5 days as the Moon orbits Earth and the portion illuminated by the Sun gradually changes from our point of view. Keep reading to see where we are in that cycle tonight.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Wednesday, April 8, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. Tonight, 68% of the moon will be lit up, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide.
There’s plenty for you to see on the surface of the Moon tonight, even if you don’t have any visual aids. Just looking up with your eyes, you should be able to see the Mare Imbrium, Tycho Crater, and the Oceanus Procellarum. With binoculars, you’ll also be able to see the Gassendi Crater, Grimaldi Basin, and Clavius Crater. Finally, if you have a telescope, expect to see features like the Apollo 12 landing spot and the Schiller Crater.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon is predicted to take place on May 1, the first of two in May.
What are Moon phases?
According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to circle Earth, moving through eight unique phases along the way. Although we always see the same side from Earth, different amounts of its surface are lit by the Sun as it orbits, causing it to appear fully illuminated, partially lit, or as a thin crescent. These changing views are called the lunar phases, and there are eight altogether:
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
Mashable Light Speed
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
