There is only one day left until the next lunar phase, which could mean one thing; The moon is almost half moved towards us. After last week's New Moon it is slowly returning. And with today's moon there is a lot to learn and see.
What is the phase of the moon today?
As of Tuesday, October 28, moon Phase – “Waxing Crescent”. According to data, 39% of the Moon will be illuminated tonight. NASA's Daily Moon Observation.
Without any visual aids, you will be able to see Mare Crisium, Mare Fecunditatis and Mare Serenitatis this evening. You'll see even more with binoculars, including Endymion Crater, Mare Nectaris, and Posidonius Crater. By adding a telescope to your setup, you can also discover the landing sites of Apollo 11 and Apollo 17, as well as the Valentine Dome, a volcanic dome. NASA tells us, almost as tall as the Eiffel Tower. It's nicknamed Valentine because in certain lighting it looks like a heart.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will occur on November 5th.
What are the phases of the moon?
NASA explains that the Moon goes through phases as it completes its 29.5-day orbit around the Earth. Changing angles between the Sun, Moon and Earth cause the different phases that we observe. From Earth, the Moon may appear full, partially illuminated, or even disappear completely, but we always see the same side. What changes is the amount of sunlight reflected from its surface depending on its position in orbit.
Eight main phases of the moon:
Mashable Speed of Light
New moon. The Moon is located between the Earth and the Sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it is invisible to the eye).
Waxing crescent – a small strip of light appears on the right (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half Moon illuminated from the right side. Looks like a crescent moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half lit but not yet filled.
Full moon. The entire surface of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Moon – The Moon begins to lose light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
The third quarter (or last quarter) is another crescent, but now the left side is illuminated.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before fading again.
