The moon continues to be large and luminous in the sky after the Full Moon last night. Nevertheless, as it moves on, its visibility will diminish each evening as we advance through the lunar cycle towards the New Moon phase. In the meantime, there is a lot to observe on its surface, so keep reading to learn what you can spot.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Friday, Dec. 5, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. This indicates that 99% of the moon is illuminated tonight, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.
With the naked eye, you can view features such as the Humorum Mare, Endymion Crater, and Alphonsus Crater. If you use binoculars, you can also see the Alps Mountains, Clavius Crater, and the Mare Humorum. A telescope will enable you to observe the Apollo 11 and 12 landing sites.
When is the next full moon?
The upcoming full moon will take place on Jan. 3.
What are moon phases?
NASA describes the lunar cycle, which is roughly 29.5 days long, as consisting of the Moon’s phases, depicting its appearance from Earth as it revolves around us. We consistently see the same side of the Moon, yet the sunlight on its surface shifts as it travels through its orbit. This varying illumination leads the Moon to seem full, half-illuminated, or invisible. The cycle features eight distinct phases:
New Moon – The moon is situated between Earth and the sun, causing the side we observe to be dark (invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the moon is illuminated on the right side, resembling a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is illuminated, yet it is not completely full.
Full Moon – The entire face of the moon is lit and entirely visible.
Waning Gibbous – The moon starts to lose light on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-moon, but this time the left side is illuminated.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before it becomes dark once again.