What the Moon Looks Like Tonight
Not a standard icon — the real Moon, lit to tonight's phase and placed where it actually rides in your sky.
Scrub the slider to watch the Moon move later tonight · default sky shown for Singapore
⊙ 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?
Frequently Asked
What does the Moon look like tonight?
Tonight the Moon is a First Quarter, about 31% illuminated. The scene above shows the real lunar surface lit to tonight's phase, placed at the height it actually rides in the sky and tilted the way you would really see it. Tap “Use my location” to set it for exactly where you are.
Why does the Moon look tilted or sideways?
The line between the lit and dark halves — the terminator — points toward the Sun, which sits below your horizon at a different angle depending on your latitude and the time. Near the equator a crescent can look like a “smile” low on the horizon; from high latitudes the same crescent stands nearly upright. The scene rotates the disk by the real parallactic angle so it matches what you would see.
Why is the Moon bigger some nights?
The Moon’s orbit is an ellipse, so its distance varies from about 356,500 km (perigee) to 406,700 km (apogee) — roughly a 14% change in apparent size. A full moon near perigee is the “supermoon”. The scene scales the disk by the real distance for the chosen time.
Will clouds block the Moon tonight?
When you share your location, the scene pulls the live cloud forecast: a clear sky shows few clouds, while an overcast night drifts thick cloud across — and can hide the Moon entirely, just as it would outdoors.