This evening, the moon is entirely out of view as it’s a New Moon. This indicates that the side facing us is shrouded in darkness, leaving us with nothing to observe at all. Following tonight, we will embark on a new lunar cycle, during which the moon will gradually begin to gain brightness each evening.
What is the current moon phase?
As of Thursday, Nov. 20, the moon phase is New Moon. This signifies that 0% of the moon is illuminated tonight, per NASA’s Daily Moon Observation. Therefore, if you were looking forward to seeing the moon this evening, you won’t have any luck. For now, simply relish the dark sky; the moon will return in a few days.
When will the next full moon occur?
The upcoming full moon is scheduled for Dec. 4, representing the final one in a series of three consecutive supermoons. The preceding full moon took place on Nov. 5.
What constitutes moon phases?
Moon phases are aspects of a recurrent lunar cycle that spans roughly 29.5 days, according to NASA. They depict how the moon is seen from Earth as it moves in orbit around our planet. While we consistently observe the same side of the moon, the extent of sunlight reflecting off it varies throughout its orbit. This is why it sometimes appears full, other times half, and occasionally vanishes completely (the New Moon). There are eight primary moon phases:
New Moon – The moon is positioned between Earth and the sun, resulting in a dark side that is visible to us (in other words, it cannot be seen).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of illumination emerges on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – The right side of the moon is illuminated halfway, resembling a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is illuminated, but it hasn’t reached full brightness yet.
Full Moon – The entire face of the moon is lit and completely visible.
Waning Gibbous – The moon begins to lose light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-moon, but now the illumination is on the left side.
Waning Crescent – A narrow sliver of light remains on the left side before fading to darkness once more.