If you're wondering how bright the night sky will be, how much of the moon will be visible, here's what you need to know before looking up.
The moon moves through a cycle of eight unique phases of visibility over about 29.5 days, according to NASA. These different phases happen as the Sun lights up various parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.
Whether you’re an avid astronomy fan or an astrology fan, understanding the lunar phases can add just a little bit of cosmic magic to your night.
Here's what the moon is doing today, June 19, 2025.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Thursday, June 19, the moon phase is Waning Crescent. In this phase, the moon looks like it's only about half lit up, 42% to be exact, according to NASA.
It's the 23rd day of the lunar cycle, and if you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you'll see the Copernicus Crater and the Oceanus Procellarum, a large lunar mare known as the "Ocean of Storms", in the top left. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, these will appear at the bottom right of the moon. No binoculars or telescope needed, these can be seen with the naked eye.
The Copernicus is the most notable of the moon's craters, and spreads across 57 miles on the surface and is 2.2 miles deep. To put that into perspective, that's about twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, according to NASA.
The Oceanus Procellarum is no small site either; it covers over 10% of the moon, taking up more than 1,600 miles.
When is the next full moon?
June's full moon was on June 11. The next full moon will be on July 10.
What are moon phases?
Moon phases are part of a 29.5-day lunar cycle, NASA tells us, caused by the angles between the sun, moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. So, sometimes it looks full, sometimes half, and sometimes not there at all. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:
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).
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.
Last Quarter (or Third 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.
