Tonight marks the initial day of a fresh lunar cycle, resulting in a faint visibility of the moon. You won’t observe much detail on its surface, but it is starting to illuminate once more and will slowly disclose more in the subsequent nights.

What is the phase of the moon today?

As of Friday, Nov. 21, the current moon phase is Waxing Crescent. This indicates that 2% of the moon is lit up tonight, per NASA’s Daily Moon Observation. There’s insufficient light on the moon to discern any details on its surface tonight as well.

When will the next full moon take place?

The subsequent full moon is set for Dec. 4, marking the final occurrence of three back-to-back supermoons. The previous full moon happened on Nov. 5.

What do moon phases signify?

Moon phases consist of a repeating lunar cycle that spans approximately 29.5 days, according to NASA. They illustrate how the moon is perceived from Earth as it revolves around our planet. Although we consistently view the same face of the moon, the quantity of sunlight that illuminates it varies throughout its orbit. This variation is why it sometimes appears full, at times half, and occasionally vanishes completely (the New Moon). There are eight primary moon phases:

New Moon – The moon is located between Earth and the sun, resulting in a dark side (invisible to the eye).

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

First Quarter – One-half of the moon is illuminated on the right side, resembling a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous – Over half is lit up, but it hasn’t reached full brightness yet.

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

Waning Gibbous – The moon begins 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 narrow sliver of light persists on the left side before it fades to darkness again.