The moon is currently in its “waning” stage, indicating that it will gradually become less visible each evening until the New Moon, which signifies the beginning of a new lunar cycle.
What is the current moon phase?
As of Monday, Nov. 10, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. This signifies that 68% of the moon is illuminated tonight, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.
What can you observe in the night sky? With the naked eye, you are able to see the Aristarchus Plateau, Mare Imbrium, and Copernicus Crater. By using binoculars, you could also identify the Mare Humorum, Gassendi Crater, and Clavius Crater. A telescope will allow you to closely examine the Schiller Crater, the Rima Hyginus, and the Apollo 14 landing site.
When is the next full moon?
The upcoming full moon will happen on Dec. 4.
What are moon phases?
As stated by NASA, the Moon revolves around Earth roughly every 29.5 days, traversing various phases. These phases occur because of the changing angles among the Sun, Earth, and Moon. From our perspective on Earth, the Moon can seem either completely bright, partially illuminated, or entirely dark, although the same hemisphere is always directed towards us. The variation depends on how sunlight reflects off its surface, forming a consistent sequence known as the lunar cycle.
The eight primary moon phases consist of:
New Moon – The moon is positioned between Earth and the sun, rendering the visible side dark (invisible to sight).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light can be observed on the right side (in the Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the moon’s surface is illuminated on the right side, resembling a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is illuminated, but it is not yet fully bright.
Full Moon – The complete face of the moon is lit and fully observable.
Waning Gibbous – The moon starts to lose brightness on the right side (in the Northern Hemisphere).
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-moon phase, yet now the left side is illuminated.
Waning Crescent – A slender sliver of light remains on the left side before it goes dark again.