In various regions around the world, it’s the night of the Full Moon. With the Full Moon having passed, the moon will begin to decrease in size each night. Initially, this change will be subtle, but after a few nights, you’ll observe the moon fading from the right side, progressing towards the New Moon when it will appear completely dark. Continue reading to find out how much of it is visible tonight.
As of Thursday, April 2, the moon phase in North America is Waning Gibbous, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide.
If the skies are clear tonight, there’s plenty to observe. Even without any visual aids, you can see features like the Kepler Crater, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Mare Tranquillitatis. With binoculars, you can spot more features such as the Posidonius and Endymion Craters. Using a telescope, many features are visible, including the Apollo 11 site, Caucasus Mountains, and the Schiller Crater.
The next Full Moon is expected on May 1, the first of two in May.
According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to orbit Earth, moving through eight distinct phases. Although we always see the same side from Earth, different parts are illuminated by the Sun, causing it to appear fully illuminated, partially, or as a thin crescent. These are called lunar phases, and there are eight total:
– New Moon: The Moon is between Earth and the Sun, making its visible side dark.
– 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, resembling a half-Moon.
– Waxing Gibbous: More than half is illuminated, but not fully yet.
– Full Moon: The entire face is illuminated and visible.
– Waning Gibbous: It begins to lose light on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
– Third Quarter (Last Quarter): Another half-Moon appears, with the left side lit.
– Waning Crescent: A thin sliver of light is visible on the left side before it becomes dark again.
Lois Mackenzie is a freelance reporter at Mashable. Over the years, she has written for many publications, covering subjects from local news to the best running shoes. Her bylines can be found in publications like Fit&Well, Metro, and Coach magazine, often covering deals on various devices or guides on improving running times.
Lois holds a Master’s in Digital Journalism from Strathclyde University and a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of Aberdeen.