Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on October 4, 2026
The Moon is now past the Third Quarter phase, meaning more than half of its visible surface is in darkness. It will continue to wane over the coming nights as we get closer to the New Moon. Here's what you can see tonight.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Sunday, Oct. 4, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waning Crescent phase, with 42% of its surface visible.
With just your naked eye, tonight you can see the Oceanus Procellarum, the Kepler Crater and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, you can also spot the Grimaldi Basin and the Mare Humorum. Finally, if you have access to a telescope, you'll see the Apollo 14 landing spot and the Schiller Crater.
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When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.
What are Moon phases?
The Moon takes around 29.5 days to orbit Earth, and as it moves through this cycle, we see different amounts of its sunlit side from here. That's what creates the Moon's different phases, from a thin crescent through to a half Moon and, eventually, the Full Moon. Once it reaches the Full Moon, the cycle starts over again. NASA explains that the phase we see depends on the Moon's position in relation to Earth and the Sun.
The eight 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)
Third Quarter (or Last 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.
