The moon shines brightly and is almost full tonight, though it hasn’t yet entered the Full Moon phase; there are still a few days left in the lunar cycle.

The lunar cycle is comprised of eight unique stages of the moon’s visibility. This cycle spans roughly 29.5 days, as per NASA, with each stage occurring as the Sun lights up different sections of the moon during its orbit around Earth.

Let’s take a look at the moon’s condition tonight, Sept. 5.

What is the moon phase today?

On Friday, Sept. 5, the moon is in the Waxing Gibbous stage, displaying 94% visibility from Earth, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.

The surface of the moon is bright and clearly visible at this point, providing a lot to observe tonight. With the naked eye, you can see the Oceanus Procellarum, the Mare Serenitatis, and the Copernicus Crater. Binoculars will reveal the Alphonsus and Posidonius Craters, while a telescope allows you to view the Reiner Gamma, the Linne Crater, and the Rima Hyginus.

When is the upcoming full moon?

The upcoming full moon will take place on Sept. 7. The previous full moon occurred on Aug. 9.

What are moon phases?

As stated by NASA, moon phases are the result of the 29.5-day orbit of the moon, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases describe how the moon looks from Earth as it circles us. We consistently see the same side of the moon, but the portion lit by the Sun changes with its orbital position. This leads to full moons, half moons, and unseen moons. There are eight primary moon phases, following a recurring pattern:

New Moon – The moon is located between Earth and the sun, causing the side we observe to be dark (invisible to the observer).

Waxing Crescent – A small illuminated sliver appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter – The right side of the moon is half-lit, resembling a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous – More than half is illuminated but not completely.

Full Moon – The entire surface of the moon is lit and entirely visible.

Waning Gibbous – The moon starts to lose light on the right side.

Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) – Another half-moon, with the left side illuminated.

Waning Crescent – A slender illuminated sliver is left on the left side before it goes dark again.