The Moon is up and easy to spot tonight. Its surface is covered in craters and plains that are nice and easy to see, thanks to where we are in the lunar cycle. The lunar cycle is the Moon’s regular orbit around Earth, which causes it to go through different phases from new to full and back again.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Thursday, Oct. 10, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. Tonight, only 84% will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.
The moon is covered in interesting craters, mountains, and Apollo landing spots. And we can see lots of them tonight. With just your naked eye, spot the Oceanus Procellarum, the Mare Serenitatis, and the Mare Tranquillitatis. If you have binoculars, pull them out to see the Grimaldi Basin, the Mare Humorum, and the Gassendi Crater. And if you have a telescope, you'll also see the Rupes Altai, Fra Mauro Highlands, and the Rima Hyginus.
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.
What are moon phases?
NASA explains that as the Moon completes its 29.5-day orbit around Earth, it passes through a series of phases. These changes happen because the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon relative to each other shift over time. From Earth, we see the Moon as fully bright, partially lit, or completely dark, but the same side always faces us. The differences in appearance come from how much sunlight hits its surface at each point in its orbit.
The eight main moon phases are:
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. (Northern Hemisphere)
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.
Lois Mackenzie is a freelance reporter at Mashable. Over the years she has written for many publications, covering everything from the local news to the best pair of running shoes. You can find bylines in publications including Fit&Well, Metro, and Coach magazine, usually covering deals on everything from earbuds to TVs, or guides on how to beat your half marathon time.
Lois also holds a Master's degree in Digital Journalism from Strathclyde University and obtained a Master of Arts in English Literature at the University of Aberdeen.
