We are five days into the latest lunar cycle, with the moon growing brighter each evening. While it hasn’t reached full brightness yet, there’s still plenty to notice.

Today’s Moon Phase

As of Sunday, Oct. 26, the moon phase stands at Waxing Crescent, with 21% of the moon illuminated tonight, per NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.

Without any visual aids, you should be able to view the Mare Crisium and the Mare Fecunditatis tonight. If you have binoculars or a telescope, you may also catch a glimpse of the Endymion Crater. These features will appear on the right side of the moon in the Northern Hemisphere, and on the left side in the Southern Hemisphere.

Next Full Moon

The next full moon is set to happen on Nov. 5.

Moon Phases

The Moon engages in a continuous cycle lasting approximately 29.5 days as it travels around Earth. These phases occur due to the shifting positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon concerning one another. From our vantage point on Earth, the Moon is visible as full, partly illuminated, or completely dark, yet the same face consistently points toward us. The change from night to night is in how much sunlight reaches and reflects off its surface.

The eight primary moon phases are:

– New Moon: The moon is positioned between Earth and the sun, rendering it invisible.
– Waxing Crescent: A slender sliver of light emerges on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
– First Quarter: Half of the moon is illuminated on the right side, appearing as a half-moon.
– Waxing Gibbous: More than half is lit but it has not yet achieved fullness.
– Full Moon: The entire surface of the moon is illuminated.
– Waning Gibbous: The moon begins to lose light on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
– Third Quarter (Last Quarter): Another half-moon, with the left half illuminated.
– Waning Crescent: A narrow sliver of light persists on the left side before it goes dark.