As of Saturday, Oct. 24, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 95% of its surface visible, just a few nights away from reaching its full phase, Mashable reported. Observers planning to look at the night sky will see 95 percent of the lunar surface illuminated as the moon completes its 29.5-day orbit around Earth.
Locating Mares And Craters Without Visual Aids
Tonight, viewers without the use of visual aids should be able to spot major lunar features including the Mares Imbrium, Serenitatis, and Fecunditatis. The Moon takes roughly 29.5 days to travel around Earth, cycling through eight distinct phases as its changing position relative to the Earth and the Sun alters the amount of sunlit surface visible from our planet.
Viewing With Binoculars And Telescopes
For those using binoculars, the viewing scope expands to reveal the Endymion Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. Observers equipped with a telescope can spot even finer details, including the Apollo 16 and 17 landing spots and the Schiller Crater. These phases progress from a New Moon where the visible side is dark, through waxing and waning crescent and gibbous stages, to the fully illuminated Full Moon.
Timing The Upcoming Full Moon
The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on the observer’s timezone. This phase follows the Full Moon as the Moon starts losing light on the right side in the Northern Hemisphere.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lunar Phases
What causes the different phases of the Moon?
According to NASA, these phases are caused by the Moon’s changing position relative to Earth and the Sun as it orbits our planet every 29.5 days. This movement changes how much of the sunlit side we can see from Earth, shifting from a slim crescent to quarter phases and eventually a Full Moon.
Which side of the Moon loses light during the waning phases?
During the Waning Gibbous phase, the Moon starts losing light on the right side in the Northern Hemisphere. This illumination pattern continues to decrease until only a thin sliver of light remains on the left side during the Waning Crescent phase.
What visibility can observers expect during quarter phases?
During the First Quarter phase, exactly half of the Moon is lit on the right side, making it look like a half-Moon. During the Third or Last Quarter phase, another half-Moon appears, but now the left side is lit.
Keep reading