Earth's Moon: Formation, Composition and Orbit

Tonight (May 19) is the new moon, and it's a rare "black moon," which occurs approximately once every 33 months.

The moon will be in its third quarter phase on Friday, May 12, with its face half-lit, halfway between its fully illuminated full moon phase and its completely dark new moon phase.

The moon will be half-illuminated on Thursday (April 27), during the first quarter phase halfway between the new moon and the full moon.

And on Thursday evening, April 20, everyone across North America will have an opportunity to sight an exceedingly young crescent moon. Try your own hand at finding it!

The new moon occurs just after midnight on Thursday (April 20), ahead of the end of the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims across the globe, while also signaling the end of a rare type of eclipse.

As we get closer to the new moon, stargazing conditions will improve with the lack of natural light pollution.

After April 2023's Pink Moon had set, photographers from across the globe took to social media to share their images and videos of the full moon.

April's full moon rises tonight (April 5), and peaks in the early hours of Thursday morning. Yet despite its name, April's Pink Moon never actually takes on a rosy hue.

The dark skies of the new moon will offer skywatchers the chance to spot Ceres tonight (March 21), as the dwarf planet reaches opposition.

The moon reaches its last quarter phase on Tuesday at which point the lunar face is half illuminated by the light of the sun. This phase falls halfway between the full moon and the new moon.