The moon looks almost full this evening, but it hasn’t quite reached that point. We have a few more days to go before hitting that phase of the lunar cycle.

The lunar cycle is made up of eight unique phases concerning the moon’s visibility. This cycle lasts roughly 29.5 days, as noted by NASA, and these phases occur as the Sun shines on different sections of the moon as it travels around Earth.

So, what’s going on with the moon tonight, Aug. 5?

What is the moon phase today?

As of Tuesday, Aug. 5, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. Based on NASA’s Daily Moon Observation, the moon will be 85% illuminated this evening, marking the 12th day of the lunar cycle.

Each evening as we progress through the lunar cycle, there is heightened visibility for us on Earth. With the naked eye, you will be able to see various features tonight, particularly the Mare Vaporum, the Mare Tranquillitatis, and the Tycho Crater.

Use binoculars to catch a glimpse of the Mare Humorum, the Apennine Mountains, and the Archimedes Crater, which, as stated by NASA, is approximately 3/4 the size of Washington, DC. With a telescope, relish views of the Schiller Crater, the Descartes Highlands, and the Gruithuisen Domes, which NASA refers to as a “geologic mystery.” These one-mile-high volcanic mountains are steeper than usual lunar volcanoes, even though they lack water and plate tectonics that facilitate volcano formation on Earth.

When will the next full moon be?

The next full moon is set to occur on August 9. The previous full moon was on July 10.

What do moon phases mean?

According to NASA, moon phases arise from the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases describe the moon’s appearance from Earth as it revolves around us. We always see the same face of the moon, but the area lit by the Sun varies according to its orbital position. This leads to full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely absent. There are eight main moon phases, following a continuous cycle:

New Moon – The moon is situated between Earth and the sun, thus the side we can see is dark (invisible to the observer).

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

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

Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit, yet it’s not completely full.

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