Moon phase on any date
See what the Moon looked like on a birthday, an anniversary or any date from 1700 to 2200: its phase, how much of it was lit and how old it was. The result is for 9 p.m. in your own time zone that evening.
Result
Choose a date to see the Moon that evening.
How the Moon's phase on a date is worked out
The phase depends on where the Moon is in its orbit relative to the Sun, so it is the same everywhere on Earth at a given moment; only the time of day changes with your time zone. We calculate the Moon's and Sun's positions with the astronomy-engine model (accurate to well under a minute for phases), then give the share of the disk lit by the Sun and the days since the last New Moon. One cycle of phases, from New Moon to New Moon, takes 29.5 days on average.
From the Southern Hemisphere the same Moon appears upside down, so the lit side is on the opposite side to the drawings here.
The eight phase names
- New Moon: The Moon is between Earth and the Sun; its lit side faces away, and it rises and sets with the Sun.
- Waxing Crescent: A thin sliver in the western evening sky, lit on the right (from the Northern Hemisphere).
- First Quarter: Half lit on the right; high in the south at sunset, setting around midnight.
- Waxing Gibbous: More than half lit, growing toward full; up most of the evening.
- Full Moon: Fully lit, rising at sunset and setting at sunrise.
- Waning Gibbous: Shrinking from full; rises after sunset and is high before dawn.
- Last Quarter: Half lit on the left; rises around midnight and is in the south at sunrise.
- Waning Crescent: A thin sliver in the eastern sky before dawn, lit on the left.