The entry for tonight
Moon Phase Tonight — First Quarter
- Illumination
- 31%
- Moon age
- 5.6 days
- Next full moon
- Jul 29 · 10d
- Next new moon
- Aug 12
The Moon is 31% illuminated tonight. The next full moon falls on July 29 at 15:01 UTC — in 10 days, the Buck Moon.
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⊙ Is Tonight Good for…?
Tonight's Moon is a First Quarter, 31% lit. Great for stargazing, poor for outdoors by moonlight.
✦ Stargazing
Fairly dark — faint objects show well, especially once the Moon has set.
Best dark-sky nights →◐ Moon photography
Earthshine and a crisp terminator give a delicate crescent.
Best nights to shoot →⛰ Outdoors by moonlight
Little moonlight — bring a headlamp, but enjoy the darker, starrier sky.
Moonrise & moonset →Earth–Moon distance tonight: 386,699 km
Want tonight's moonrise, moonset and best viewing time where you are?
I. The Month Ahead
July 2026 · phase for each day (UTC)
II. What Is a Moon Phase?
The Moon makes no light of its own — it only ever reflects the Sun. What changes is how much of its lit half we can see from here. Turn the Moon around its orbit and watch the shape resolve.
It is a ball of rock, and the Sun always lights exactly one half of it — like a flashlight shining on a tennis ball.
III. Lunar Curiosities
Moon Soulmate
Lay two birthdays side by side. If the birth-moons complete one another into a full circle, the Almanac declares you a match — and you can share the verdict.
Cast the reading →The Moon You Were Born Under
Name the night you arrived and the Almanac draws the exact Moon that hung above it — phase, illumination, and a reading to keep.
Find my birth moon →IV. Plan Your Night
V. The Reading Room
Today is Sunday, July 19, 2026