Find the moon phase for any date. Calculate illumination percentage, moon age, and upcoming lunar phases.
Select Date
🌗
Last Quarter
Left half illuminated. Time to release.
Illumination
50%
Moon Age
22.2
days into cycle
Next Phase
🌘 Waning Crescent
in 3.7 days
Spiritual / Astrological Energy
Release, forgiveness, letting go
8 Lunar Phases — Overview
🌑
New Moon
Day 0–2
🌒
Waxing Crescent
Day 2–7
🌓
First Quarter
Day 7–11
🌔
Waxing Gibbous
Day 11–15
🌕
Full Moon
Day 15–18
🌖
Waning Gibbous
Day 18–22
🌗
Last Quarter
Day 22–26
🌘
Waning Crescent
Day 26–30
Upcoming Phase Transitions
| Phase | Approximate Date | Illumination |
|---|---|---|
🌗 Last Quarter | Sep 5, 2026 | 45% |
🌘 Waning Crescent | Sep 8, 2026 | 11% |
🌑 New Moon | Sep 12, 2026 | 0% |
🌒 Waxing Crescent | Sep 14, 2026 | 6% |
🌓 First Quarter | Sep 19, 2026 | 55% |
🌔 Waxing Gibbous | Sep 23, 2026 | 89% |
🌕 Full Moon | Sep 27, 2026 | 100% |
🌖 Waning Gibbous | Sep 30, 2026 | 82% |
The Moon completes one orbit around Earth in approximately 29.53 days — the synodic month. During this cycle, it passes through 8 distinct phases based on how much of its illuminated side faces Earth. The New Moon occurs when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun (invisible). As it moves, we see a Waxing Crescent, then First Quarter (half lit), Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon (fully lit), Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, and finally Waning Crescent before returning to New Moon. The exact phases depend on the Moon's orbital position. Our calculator uses a known new moon reference point (January 6, 2000) and the precise 29.53-day cycle to calculate the phase for any date. Illumination is calculated using a cosine approximation of the angular relationship between Earth, Moon, and Sun.