The Moon is currently in the waning crescent phase, with 16% of its illuminated surface visible to observers on Earth, according to data from NASA’s Daily Moon Guide. Viewers looking up at the night sky can track this lunar cycle ahead of the upcoming full moon phase scheduled later in the month.
What is the current phase of the Moon?
As of Friday, Nov. 6, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker indicates that the Moon remains in the waning crescent phase, Mashable reported. Yahoo Tech noted that with less than 20% of the lunar surface illuminated, observers can spot specific surface features depending on their equipment. Without visual aids, viewers can catch the Aristarchus Plateau, while binoculars or a telescope reveal both that feature and the Grimaldi Basin.
When does the next full moon occur?
The next full moon will take place on November 24, according to Mashable. A full lunar cycle takes approximately 29.5 days to pass through all eight distinct phases as the Moon travels around Earth and the angle of sunlight shifting across its surface changes what is visible from the ground.
How do the eight lunar phases work?
NASA outlines the complete cycle starting with the New Moon, where the Moon sits directly between Earth and the sun, leaving the visible side dark and invisible to the naked eye. The cycle progresses through the Waxing Crescent, where a small sliver of light appears on the right side in the Northern Hemisphere, followed by the First Quarter, where half of the Moon is lit on the right side.
The progression continues with the Waxing Gibbous phase, where more than half is lit without being completely full, leading into the Full Moon, where the entire face is fully illuminated. Following the peak, the Moon enters the Waning Gibbous phase as light begins decreasing on the right side, moves to the Third or Last Quarter where the left half is lit, and finishes with the Waning Crescent, leaving a thin sliver of light on the left side before returning to darkness.
What can observers expect in the evening sky later in november?
Following the New Moon on November 9, the waxing crescent returns to the western evening sky, according to When the Curves Line Up. Between November 11 and 15, the crescent moon moves through the constellations Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, and Capricornus. During this window, when the Moon is roughly 10% to 20% illuminated, observers can spot earthshine—sunlight reflected from Earth’s clouds, oceans, and land that softly illuminates the lunar night. By November 14, the crescent sits over 20 degrees above the south-southwest horizon at 26% illumination, climbing to nearly 30 degrees above the southern horizon at 35% illumination by November 15 as it tracks toward the First Quarter phase on November 17.
Observers need binoculars or a telescope to view the Grimaldi Basin
What equipment is needed to see the Grimaldi Basin?
Observers need the assistance of either binoculars or a telescope to get a closer look at the Grimaldi Basin on the lunar surface during the waning crescent phase.
How long does a complete lunar cycle take?
It takes the Moon approximately 29.5 days to pass through a complete lunar cycle from New Moon to Full Moon and back again.
When is the first quarter phase following the new moon?
The Moon reaches its First Quarter phase on November 17, following the New Moon on November 9 and the subsequent evening crescent visibility period.
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