LIVE COMPUTATION — NO LIMITS
Today's Moon Phase — — Full Moon & New Moon Calendar
Short answer
The moon phase follows the Moon's position relative to the Sun and completes one cycle in a synodic month of about 29.53 days. The live panel below computes today's phase, illumination percentage, moon age and the next full moon & new moon dates right on your device — it needs no internet service or data feed.
29.53 days
Synodic month
8 phases
Main fases
100%
Full moon peak
On-device
Instant calculation
Today's Moon Phase
…
Illumination
…
Moon age
…
Computed on your device — no data service
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Next Full Moon
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Next New Moon
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The eight moon phases and their order
Phases are defined by processes rather than exact instants: the full moon is a single moment, yet the nights around it are called 'full moon nights' and the disc looks nearly perfect for about three nights. 'Quarter' refers to the half-disc appearance; the first quarter is waxing (lit on the right as seen from the northern hemisphere) and the last quarter is waning (lit on the left). That right-lit rule is the quickest trick for observers in Turkey and all northern latitudes.
| Phase | Moon age | Illumination | Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Moon | 0 days | 0% | Moon sits between Sun and Earth; invisible |
| Waxing Crescent | 1–6 days | 1–49% | Thin crescent in the west after sunset |
| First Quarter | 7–8 days | 50% | Rises after noon, sets around midnight |
| Waxing Gibbous | 9–13 days | 51–99% | Thickens night after night toward full |
| Full Moon | 14–15 days | 100% | Rises at sunset, sets at dawn; visible all night |
| Waning Gibbous | 16–21 days | 99–51% | Rises late at night |
| Last Quarter | 22–23 days | 50% | Rises around midnight, visible at dawn |
| Waning Crescent | 24–29 days | 49–1% | Thin crescent in the east before dawn |
The 8 main moon phases and their position in the synodic month
When is the next full moon or new moon? How is the calendar computed?
The synodic month (new moon to new moon) averages 29.53 days, so the full moon arrives roughly every 29.5 days and drifts about 11 days earlier each calendar year. The dates in our panel are projected forward from a known new moon reference (January 6, 2000, 18:14 UTC) using the synodic period and are accurate to within minutes.
The exact 'peak' of the full moon is the instant the Moon and Sun sit at opposite ecliptic longitudes; at that moment the Moon may look perfectly round even while just rising. For practical purposes the full moon night covers the evenings before and after the peak — the disc appears almost complete for three nights.
Does the moon phase affect births, sleep or behavior?
This is the most-asked and most-mythologized question. Despite widespread beliefs, large-scale controlled studies have found no consistent link between the full moon and birth counts, emergency-room traffic, accidents or total sleep duration. Broad reviews published in recent decades confirm the same null result.
The one scientifically solid effect is the light itself: an open full-moon night is bright enough to wash out faint stars and make a countryside walk easy. If sleep is affected, the mechanism is the light in your room — close the curtains and most of the 'full moon effect' disappears.
Astrophotography rule of thumb: shoot the Milky Way around the new moon; shoot craters and surface detail around the first or last quarter. A full moon flattens the surface and lowers contrast.
When is a lunar eclipse, and how does it relate to the phase?
A lunar eclipse can only happen at the full moon: Earth slides exactly between Sun and Moon and casts its shadow onto the lunar surface. But not every full moon brings an eclipse, because the Moon's orbit is tilted about 5° to the ecliptic and most full moons miss the shadow line. Follow upcoming eclipse dates on NASA's official eclipse pages — rather than hard-coding dates here, we point you to the authoritative, always-current source.
Solar eclipses, conversely, always occur at the new moon, and their visibility from Turkey varies by year. Both eclipse types are safe to watch with the naked eye in the lunar case (no protection needed), while a certified solar filter is mandatory for the solar case.
Calculation method and accuracy
The panel uses the classic mean-synodic phase formula with the January 6, 2000 18:14 UTC new moon as its reference epoch. For daily use and calendar planning this is accurate to within minutes; the small hourly deviations caused by the Moon's elliptical orbit are visually negligible. No external service is called — everything runs in your browser.
Information on this page is provided for general purposes. For maritime, aviation or serious observing campaigns, official ephemeris sources take precedence. All computed values are shown in your device's local time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is today's moon phase?+
The live panel above computes today's phase, illumination percentage and moon age instantly on your device. Open the page and the current value is already there — no data feed or connection required.
When is the next full moon?+
The full moon arrives roughly every 29.53 days and drifts about 11 days earlier each calendar year. The panel automatically calculates the next full moon's date and time and shows a live countdown.
When is the next new moon?+
The new moon is the phase where the Moon sits between Sun and Earth and is invisible in the sky. The panel calculates the next new moon automatically; the dark-sky window around it is the best time for Milky Way photography.
Does the full moon affect behavior or sleep?+
Controlled studies have found no consistent relationship between the full moon and births, accidents, ER visits or sleep duration. The only physical effect is night brightness; blocking the light in your room removes most of the 'full moon effect'.
When is the next lunar eclipse?+
A lunar eclipse happens only at the full moon, when Earth's shadow covers the Moon fully or partially; but not every full moon produces one. For upcoming dates we recommend NASA's official eclipse pages — verifying from the current authoritative source is the safest approach.
Why does the moon change phase?+
The Moon produces no light of its own; it reflects sunlight. As the Moon orbits Earth, the Sun–Moon–Earth angle changes and different portions of its sunlit face become visible. One complete cycle takes 29.53 days.
Disclaimer
This page is for informational purposes only and is not an official institution; data comes from third-party sources and may be delayed. Verify official channels before taking action. The site accepts no liability for content errors.
copypromt.com · updated 2026-09-26