Tonight, the sky seems to have swallowed the moon whole—a sure sign we're on the cusp of the New Moon. But here's where it gets fascinating: even though the moon is barely visible, there’s still a story unfolding up there. So, what can you actually see tonight? Let’s dive in.
What’s the moon phase today?
As of Monday, November 17, the moon is in its Waning Crescent phase. According to NASA's Daily Moon Observation, only 7% of the moon’s surface is illuminated tonight. And this is the part most people miss: to catch even a glimpse of it, you’ll need binoculars or a telescope. If you’re lucky, you might spot the Grimaldi Basin, a striking feature on the moon’s surface.
When’s the next full moon?
Mark your calendars for December 4—that’s when the moon will be back in its full, radiant glory.
What exactly are moon phases?
Moon phases are part of a 29.5-day lunar cycle, as explained by NASA. Here’s the deal: as the moon orbits Earth, the angle between the sun, Earth, and moon changes, causing different portions of the moon to be illuminated. While we always see the same side of the moon, the amount of sunlight it reflects varies, creating the phases we observe. From the invisible New Moon to the dazzling Full Moon, there are eight main phases in this repeating cycle.
Here’s the breakdown:
- New Moon: The moon is positioned between Earth and the sun, leaving the side facing us completely dark and invisible.
- Waxing Crescent: A tiny sliver of light appears on the right side (in the Northern Hemisphere), marking the moon’s return.
- First Quarter: Half of the moon is lit on the right side, giving it that classic half-moon shape.
- Waxing Gibbous: More than half of the moon is illuminated, but it’s not quite full yet.
- Full Moon: The entire face of the moon is bathed in sunlight, making it fully visible and breathtaking.
- Waning Gibbous: The moon begins to lose light on its right side, signaling the start of its decline.
- Third Quarter (or Last Quarter): Another half-moon, but this time the left side is lit.
- Waning Crescent: A thin sliver of light lingers on the left side before the moon fades into darkness again.
But here’s the controversial part: Some cultures and traditions assign spiritual or emotional significance to moon phases, while others view them purely as scientific phenomena. What do you think? Is there more to the moon’s phases than meets the eye? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear your thoughts!
