It’s the first Moon of the new year, and we’re just a couple of days away from the Full Moon. It’s nice and bright tonight, so if you have a clear sky, enjoy the show.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Thursday, Jan. 1, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. According to The Sky Live, 94% of the moon will be lit up tonight.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on Jan. 3. The last full moon was on Dec. 4.
What are moon phases?
According to NASA, it takes roughly 29.5 days for the Moon to complete a full cycle, known as the lunar cycle. During this period, the Moon moves through a series of phases as it orbits the Earth. While the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight illuminating its surface changes over time. This is why the Moon appears fully lit, partially illuminated, or not visible at all at different stages of the cycle. The lunar cycle is divided into eight main phases:
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).
Mashable Light Speed
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)
Third Quarter (or Last 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.
