What Moon Is Tonight? Live Moon Phase
The live answer to what moon is tonight and what moon is it tonight — computed from your device's date using a standard astronomical phase formula.
The Eight Moon Phases
The lunar cycle takes 29.53 days (a synodic month) and passes through eight named phases:
- 🌑 New Moon — 0% illuminated. The Moon sits between Earth and Sun.
- 🌒 Waxing Crescent — 1–49%, growing.
- 🌓 First Quarter — 50%, right half lit.
- 🌔 Waxing Gibbous — 51–99%, still growing.
- 🌕 Full Moon — 100% illuminated. Earth sits between Moon and Sun.
- 🌖 Waning Gibbous — 99–51%, shrinking.
- 🌗 Last Quarter — 50%, left half lit.
- 🌘 Waning Crescent — 49–1%, shrinking to new.
What Is a New Moon?
A new moon is the phase when the Moon lies between Earth and the Sun, with its illuminated face pointing away from us — making it effectively invisible in the night sky. New moons are the best nights for stargazing, deep-sky photography and watching meteor showers, because there's no lunar glare.
What Full Moon Is Tonight?
If the live card above shows "Full Moon", the answer to what full moon is tonight depends on the month — see the calendar below for the traditional name (e.g., Wolf Moon in January, Harvest Moon in September).
2026 Full Moon Calendar
| Date | Traditional Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 3 January 2026 | Wolf Moon | Howling wolves in midwinter |
| 1 February 2026 | Snow Moon | Peak winter snowfall |
| 3 March 2026 | Worm Moon | Earthworms return as soil thaws |
| 2 April 2026 | Pink Moon | Wild ground phlox blooms |
| 1 May 2026 | Flower Moon | Spring flowers in full bloom |
| 31 May 2026 | Strawberry Moon | Strawberry harvest begins |
| 29 June 2026 | Buck Moon | Male deer regrow antlers |
| 29 July 2026 | Sturgeon Moon | Great Lakes sturgeon caught easily |
| 28 August 2026 | Corn Moon / Harvest Moon | Corn ready for harvest |
| 26 September 2026 | Harvest Moon | Closest full moon to autumn equinox |
| 26 October 2026 | Hunter's Moon | Time to stock game for winter |
| 24 November 2026 | Beaver Moon | Beavers finish dam-building |
| 24 December 2026 | Cold Moon | Long, cold winter nights |
Dates are approximate (within ~24h) and computed for UTC; check your local date in the live card above.
Meteor Shower Tonight — What Time?
If you're searching for meteor shower tonight or meteor shower tonight what time, the table below shows the year's major showers, their peak nights, and the best viewing window. Peak hours are almost always between local midnight and dawn, when your side of Earth is facing into the meteor stream.
| Shower | Peak Night (2026) | Best Viewing Time | ZHR* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quadrantids | 3–4 January | After midnight to dawn | ~110 |
| Lyrids | 22–23 April | After midnight | ~18 |
| Eta Aquariids | 5–6 May | Pre-dawn (best in S. hemisphere) | ~50 |
| Perseids | 12–13 August | 11 PM to dawn | ~100 |
| Orionids | 21–22 October | Midnight to dawn | ~20 |
| Leonids | 17–18 November | After midnight | ~15 |
| Geminids | 13–14 December | 9 PM to dawn | ~150 |
*ZHR = Zenithal Hourly Rate, the count of meteors a single observer could see under perfect dark skies with the radiant overhead.
For best results, find a site at least 30 km from city lights, give your eyes 20+ minutes to dark-adapt, and check the moon phase — a bright moon reduces visible meteor counts by 60–80%.
What Is Dusk?
Dusk is the period of partial darkness between sunset and full night, when the Sun is between 0° and 18° below the horizon. There are three named stages:
- Civil dusk — Sun 0° to 6° below horizon. Bright enough to read outside; brightest planets visible.
- Nautical dusk — 6° to 12° below. The horizon is still discernible; sailors can take star sights.
- Astronomical dusk — 12° to 18° below. Sky is fully dark; ideal for stargazing and meteor watching.
The equivalent morning stages are civil, nautical and astronomical dawn, in reverse order.
Related
For sunrise, sunset and exact times in your zone, use our live local time page. For the current time anywhere in the world, see the world time clock.