Have you noticed the moon looks a little brighter tonight than it has done in days? There's a reason for that. Keep reading to find out why the lunar cycle changes what we see each night.
The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.
See what's happening with the moon tonight, June 28.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Saturday, June 28, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Visibility has doubled since last night. Today, 12% of the moon will be lit up, so says NASA's Daily Moon Observation. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, you'll see the far right side of the moon lit up; if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, it'll be the far left.
It's also the third moon in the lunar cycle. But unfortunately, there's still not enough light on the moon's surface to see any craters or other interesting geological features.
When is the next full moon?
June's full moon was on June 11; this was a Strawberry Moon. 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. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. 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.
