Tomorrow marks the New Moon, indicating that the Moon is almost undetectable tonight, providing minimal illumination in the sky.

What is the moon phase today?

As of Monday, Oct. 20, the current moon phase is Waning Crescent. This evening, just 1% will be lit, based on NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.

With such limited visibility tonight, there’s nothing observable on the moon’s surface.

When will the next full moon occur?

The upcoming full moon is set for Nov. 5.

What are the phases of the moon?

As per NASA, moon phases arise from the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, changing the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases indicate the moon’s appearance from Earth as it moves around us. We consistently view the same hemisphere of the moon, but the section illuminated by the Sun changes with its orbital position. This leads to full moons, half moons, and phases where the moon appears to vanish. There are eight primary moon phases in a recurring cycle.

The eight primary moon phases are:

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

Waxing Crescent – A small fraction of light becomes visible on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter – The right side of the moon is illuminated, giving it a half-moon shape.

Waxing Gibbous – Over half is lit, but it isn’t fully illuminated yet.

Full Moon – The entire surface of the moon is bright and completely visible.

Waning Gibbous – The moon starts to lose light on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

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

Waning Crescent – A narrow sliver of light persists on the left side before darkness returns.