The moon is still looking almost full in the sky, but as we move towards the new moon, it’ll be getting less visible each night. This is due to the lunar cycle, a series of eight phases of the moon.
There’s still some time left of a big, bright moon, however, so keep reading to find out what you can see when you look up on Oct. 9.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Wednesday, Oct. 9, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. Tonight, only 92% will be lit up, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.
There’s so much to see on the moon’s surface tonight, and you don’t even need any visual aids. With just your naked eye, spot the Mare Serenitatis, the Aristarchus Plateau, and the Mare Vaporum.
With binoculars, it is also possible to see the Alphonsus Crater, the Apennine Mountains, and the Archimedes Crater. And if you have a telescope, you’ll also see the Apollo 11 landing spots, Caucasus Mountains, and the Rima Ariadaeus.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.
What are moon phases?
According to NASA, the Moon experiences different phases during its 29.5-day journey around Earth. These phases occur because the angles between the Sun, Earth, and Moon shift as it orbits. From our perspective on Earth, the Moon can appear fully illuminated, partly lit, or invisible, yet the same side is always facing us. What varies is how much sunlight is reflected from its surface based on where it is in its orbit.
The eight main moon phases are:
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. (Northern Hemisphere)
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.