The moon never looks exactly the same from night to night. Its changing appearance is a result of its journey around Earth. This is called the lunar cycle.
The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon’s visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.
So, let’s see what’s happening with the moon tonight, Sept. 1.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Monday, Sept. 1, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous, and 62% will be lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.
There’s lots to see on the moon’s surface tonight, so lets get into it. With no visual aids, you’ll see the Tycho Crater, the Mare Crisium, and the Mare Tranquillitatis. With binoculars, you’ll also get a glimpse of the Mare Nectaris, the Mare Frigoris, and the Apennine Mountains.
If you have a telescope too, you’ll see so much more. Enjoy glimpses of the Apollo 11, Descartes Highlands, and the Rupes Recta, a 68-mile-long lunar fault line.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on Sept. 7. The last full moon was on Aug. 9.
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What are moon phases?
According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:
New Moon – The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The moon starts losing light on the right side.
Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) – Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
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