What the Moon phase means today
The Moon does not make its own light. It shines because the Sun lights half of it, and the phase you see depends on where the Moon is in its orbit relative to the Sun and the Earth. A full cycle, from one new moon to the next, takes about 29.5 days. During that time the lit part of the Moon grows to a full disc and shrinks again, which gives the eight familiar phases.
The phase is the same for everyone on Earth on a given day, although the time you see it rising or setting depends on where you live. The numbers above come from the real positions of the Sun and Moon, so the percentage of the Moon that is lit and its age in days are accurate for today.
The eight phases in order
New Moon. The Moon sits between the Earth and the Sun and its lit side faces away from us, so it is almost invisible. In astrology the new moon is read as a moment of beginning: a good time to set an intention, start a plan or clear space for something new.
Waxing Crescent. A thin sliver appears in the evening sky after sunset. The light is growing, and in astrological reading this is the time to take the first small steps on what you began at the new moon.
First Quarter. Half of the Moon is lit, the right half as seen from the northern hemisphere. The Moon is about a quarter of the way around its orbit. Astrologers see this as a point of tension and decision, when obstacles show up and action is needed.
Waxing Gibbous. More than half is lit and the Moon is nearly full. It is read as a time of refining, adjusting and building toward a result.
Full Moon. The Earth sits between the Sun and the Moon, and the whole face is lit. The Full Moon rises near sunset and is visible all night. In astrology it is a time of culmination, when things come to light and feelings run high. Many people notice that their sleep is lighter around the full moon, though research on this is mixed.
Waning Gibbous. The light begins to shrink. It is read as a time for sharing what you have learned and for gratitude.
Last Quarter. The left half is lit. It is read as a time for letting go, for forgiving and for clearing out what no longer works.
Waning Crescent. A thin sliver rises before dawn, and the Moon is close to dark again. Astrologers read this as a time to rest, reflect and prepare for the next cycle.
Waxing and waning
When the lit part of the Moon is growing, the Moon is waxing, and when it is shrinking, it is waning. In the northern hemisphere a waxing Moon is lit on the right, and a waning Moon is lit on the left. In the southern hemisphere the sides are reversed. Near the equator the Moon can appear to lie on its back.
Moon phases and the zodiac
The phase tells you the angle between the Sun and the Moon. The sign tells you where the Moon is in the zodiac. A new moon always happens in the same sign as the Sun, and a full moon happens in the opposite sign. This is why astrologers speak of a Full Moon in Taurus or a New Moon in Scorpio, and why those events are linked with themes of the sign. Each sign hosts a new moon and a full moon about once a year. You can find the sign of the Moon for a birth date with the Moon sign calculator.
Moon phases and the Panchang
Vedic astrology divides the lunar cycle into 30 lunar days, called tithis. The new moon day is called Amavasya and the full moon day is called Purnima. The bright half, when the Moon is waxing, is Shukla Paksha, and the dark half, when it is waning, is Krishna Paksha. The Panchang page shows the tithi for any city.
Using the dates on this page
The card at the top shows the phase for today, how much of the Moon is lit, and how many days have passed since the last new moon. The Next phases table lists the next eight exact times from the dated list on this site, with the Moon sign at each event. Times follow your browser time zone when the page can read it, and fall back to UTC with a UTC label when it cannot. You do not need a city for this page, because the phase itself is the same for the whole Earth at a given moment.
People often open this page to plan around a new moon or a full moon, or to check whether the Moon is waxing or waning before they look at a birth chart. The table is enough for that: each row names the phase, the local date and time, and the sign the Moon occupies at that station. If you want the lunar day used in a city almanac, open Panchang. If you want the Moon sign for a birth date and time, open the Moon sign calculator. Keep the page bookmarked through the year if you like to watch the cycle without digging through a full almanac.