Following several days of complete or nearly complete darkness, the Moon is starting to emerge once more. We are currently experiencing the Waxing Crescent phase of the lunar cycle, indicating that each night leading up to the Full Moon, it will be increasingly illuminated from the right side.

What is the current Moon phase?

As of Sunday, April 19, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. This evening, 5% of the Moon will be lit, based on NASA’s Daily Moon Guide.

Despite more of it being illuminated now, the percentage of the surface that is visible is still too minimal to discern any surface features. Please check back tomorrow.

When will the next Full Moon occur?

The upcoming Full Moon is projected to take place on May 1, marking the first of two Full Moons in May.

What constitutes Moon phases?

NASA clarifies that the Moon takes around 29.5 days to complete its orbit around Earth, during which it experiences eight unique phases. We consistently view the same hemisphere of the Moon, yet the quantity of sunlight that bounces off it varies as it orbits, resulting in the recognizable series of full, partial, and crescent forms. These represent the lunar phases, totaling eight:

New Moon – The Moon is situated between Earth and the sun, rendering the side we observe dark (invisible to the naked eye).

Waxing Crescent – A small section of light begins to show on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter – One half of the Moon is illuminated on the right side, looking like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous – More than half is illuminated, although it is not yet full.

Full Moon – The whole surface of the Moon is lit and completely visible.

Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts to dim on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is illuminated.

Waning Crescent – A narrow strip of light lingers on the left side before it fades to darkness again.