TimeandTool

Moon Phases 2026

Complete lunar calendar for 2026. Full moons, new moons, and all moon phase dates.

🌒

Today, April 20, 2026

Waxing Crescent

19% illuminated · 4.2 days old

Upcoming Moon Phases

🌓
First Quarter
Apr 23, 2026
7:46 PM UTC
🌕
Full Moon
May 1, 2026
4:57 AM UTC
🌗
Last Quarter
May 8, 2026
2:08 PM UTC
🌑
New Moon
May 15, 2026
11:19 PM UTC
🌓
First Quarter
May 23, 2026
8:30 AM UTC
🌕
Full Moon
May 30, 2026
5:41 PM UTC
🌗
Last Quarter
Jun 7, 2026
2:52 AM UTC
🌑
New Moon
Jun 14, 2026
12:03 PM UTC
🌓
First Quarter
Jun 21, 2026
9:14 PM UTC
🌕
Full Moon
Jun 29, 2026
6:25 AM UTC
🌗
Last Quarter
Jul 6, 2026
3:36 PM UTC
🌑
New Moon
Jul 14, 2026
12:47 AM UTC

Full Moons 2026

January 3Saturday
February 1Sunday
March 3Tuesday
April 1Wednesday
May 1Friday
May 30Saturday
June 29Monday
July 28Tuesday
August 27Thursday
September 25Friday
October 25Sunday
November 23Monday
December 23Wednesday

New Moons 2026

January 17Saturday
February 16Monday
March 17Tuesday
April 16Thursday
May 15Friday
June 14Sunday
July 14Tuesday
August 12Wednesday
September 11Friday
October 10Saturday
November 9Monday
December 8Tuesday

The 8 Moon Phases Explained

🌑
New Moon
Moon not visible from Earth
🌒
Waxing Crescent
Small sliver becoming visible
🌓
First Quarter
Right half illuminated
🌔
Waxing Gibbous
More than half lit, growing
🌕
Full Moon
Entire face illuminated
🌖
Waning Gibbous
More than half lit, shrinking
🌗
Last Quarter
Left half illuminated
🌘
Waning Crescent
Small sliver fading away

How Moon Phases Work

Moon phases are not caused by Earth's shadow — that is a common misconception. The phases are caused by the changing geometry of the Sun, Earth, and Moon as the Moon orbits Earth. We always see roughly the same face of the Moon (because the Moon is tidally locked to Earth), but we see different portions of that face illuminated by the Sun depending on where the Moon is in its orbit.

At new moon, the Moon is between Earth and the Sun — its lit face points away from us and we see only the dark side. As the Moon moves eastward in its orbit, progressively more of the lit face becomes visible — waxing crescent, first quarter (half lit), waxing gibbous — until the full moon, when Earth is between the Sun and Moon and we see the fully illuminated face. Then the cycle reverses through the waning phases back to new moon, completing in approximately 29.53 days.

The Moon's phases are calculated precisely using the concept of elongation — the Moon's angular distance from the Sun as seen from Earth. The illumination fraction you see on this page is computed from that angle using standard astronomical algorithms (Jean Meeus, Astronomical Algorithms, 2nd ed.), the same reference used by observatories worldwide.

Why Moon Phases Matter

Tides

New and full moons align the Sun, Earth, and Moon gravitationally — producing stronger spring tides with higher highs and lower lows. Quarter moons produce weaker neap tides. Coastal planning, surfing, and fishing all depend on tidal predictions driven by lunar cycles.

Agriculture & Biodynamics

Biodynamic farming schedules planting, cultivating, and harvesting activities around lunar phases, claiming root vegetables grow better during new moon phases and leafy crops do better around full moon. While scientific consensus is mixed, many traditional farming calendars globally have tracked lunar cycles for millennia.

Night Photography

Astrophotographers prefer shooting the Milky Way and deep sky objects during new moon phases when the sky is darkest. Landscape photographers favor crescent or gibbous phases for moonlit scenes with detail. Full moon moonrises and sets are popular long-exposure subjects.

Fishing & Wildlife

Coastal fishing is directly affected by tidal patterns driven by lunar phases. Freshwater fishing traditions and solunar tables predict peak feeding activity based on the Moon's position overhead and underfoot. Many animals from crabs to coral spawn in synchrony with specific lunar phases.

Frequently Asked Questions

The 8 moon phases are: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, and Waning Crescent. The cycle repeats approximately every 29.5 days.
A complete lunar cycle (synodic month) lasts approximately 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds — commonly rounded to 29.5 days.
A full moon occurs when the Moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, making the entire near side of the Moon visible from Earth. It happens approximately every 29.5 days.
The Moon doesn't actually change shape — we see different portions of its sunlit half as it orbits Earth. These changing illuminations are what we call moon phases.
A new moon is when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, making it invisible (or nearly so) from Earth. This marks the beginning of a new lunar cycle.
A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the Moon's closest approach to Earth (perigee), making it appear slightly larger and brighter than average.
A complete lunar cycle (from new moon to the next new moon) takes approximately 29.53 days — known as a synodic month. This is slightly longer than the Moon's actual orbital period of 27.32 days (a sidereal month) because Earth is also moving around the Sun during that time, so the Moon needs a little extra time to realign with the Sun from Earth's perspective.
A Blue Moon most commonly refers to the second full moon in a calendar month. Because the lunar cycle is ~29.5 days and most months are 30–31 days, full moons occasionally fall twice in a single month — roughly once every 2.5 years. An older definition defines a Blue Moon as the third full moon in a season that has four (instead of the usual three). Despite the name, the Moon doesn't actually appear blue — the term is idiomatic.
A Supermoon occurs when a full moon (or new moon) coincides with the Moon being near its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit (perigee). At perigee, the Moon appears roughly 14% larger and 30% brighter than at its farthest point (apogee). There is no single universally agreed definition of how close the Moon must be to qualify as a 'supermoon' — different astronomers and media use slightly different thresholds.
Tides are primarily driven by the Moon's gravitational pull on Earth's oceans. During new moon and full moon phases, the Sun, Earth, and Moon are roughly aligned — their gravitational forces combine to produce stronger 'spring tides' with higher highs and lower lows. During first and last quarter phases, the Sun and Moon pull at right angles, producing weaker 'neap tides.' The Moon's distance from Earth also affects tidal strength — tides are strongest when the Moon is at perigee.
Some studies have found correlations between lunar phases and sleep patterns — notably a 2021 study in Science Advances found people fell asleep later and slept ~20 minutes less in the days before a full moon. However, the effect is subtle and not universally replicated. No peer-reviewed evidence firmly supports the popular belief that moon phases significantly affect mood, behavior, or medical outcomes. Bright moonlight near the full moon may have historically disrupted outdoor sleep, which could explain the evolved sensitivity.
Moon phases are calculated using astronomical algorithms that model the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon. The phase at any moment is determined by the Moon's elongation — its angular separation from the Sun as seen from Earth. A new moon occurs at 0°, first quarter at 90°, full moon at 180°, last quarter at 270°. TimeandTool's lunar calculations use the algorithms from Jean Meeus's Astronomical Algorithms, the standard reference for high-precision positional astronomy.
The full moon is the brightest but often least interesting to photograph because the overhead lighting flattens surface details. Photographers typically prefer the waxing gibbous (3–4 days before full) or the waning gibbous phase, when shadows along the Moon's terminator (the boundary between lit and dark) dramatically reveal craters and mountains. For earthshine shots (where the Moon's unlit portion is faintly illuminated by Earth), shoot during the crescent phases around dusk or dawn.
Many anglers and fishing traditions hold that fish are more active around full and new moons, when tidal forces are strongest. Some fishing guides (solunar tables) predict peak activity periods based on the Moon's position. Scientific evidence for this effect in freshwater fishing is limited, but in coastal fishing, lunar-driven tidal patterns genuinely affect fish movement and feeding behavior near tidal inlets, estuaries, and saltwater flats.

Moon Phase by City

Moon — New YorkMoon — LondonMoon — TokyoMoon — SydneyMoon — DubaiMoon — MumbaiMoon — ParisMoon — Singapore
Sunrise & Sunset TodayWorld Clock2026 CalendarHow Moon Phases Affect TidesMoon Phase Calendar 2026
HomeClockSunCalc