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Lunar Phases

The apparent shapes of the Moon as seen from the Earth, which are caused by the Moon’s orbit of the Earth once every 29.5 days. The same phase will fall on the same date of the year according to the Saros cycle, every 18 years, 11 days, and eight hours. See our moon phases page for more information.

Resources

Phenomena, Myths and Fallacies June 10, 2010

Radio Programs

Harvest Moon Celebrations of the Mid-Autumn Moon September 28, 2023

Blue Moon A case of the blues for the full Moon August 30, 2023

Moon and Companions Maneuvering into the daylight June 20, 2023

Harvest Moon Timing up the Harvest Moon September 9, 2022

Perseid Meteors Bright Moon, faint meteors August 11, 2022

Shark Moon A bright link to shark attacks April 14, 2022

Moon and Spica Sailing through the stars January 23, 2022

Moon and Saturn Changing the lighting on the Moon May 29, 2021

Moon and Spica Staying awake in the moonlight May 22, 2021

Moon and Antares Shifting the Moon’s weight August 25, 2020

Moon and Planets A “fat” Moon runs the gauntlet May 10, 2020

Long-Night Moon Plenty of moonlight December 11, 2019

Hunter’s Moon A guiding light for hunters October 13, 2019

Moon and Saturn A special night for Moon-watching October 5, 2019

Harvest Moon Harvesting some moonlight September 13, 2019

Moon and Companions Lighting up the Moon September 4, 2019

Moon and Saturn Names that stretch to the Moon July 15, 2019

Daytime Moon A nightlight in the daytime sky January 28, 2019

Lunar Eclipse Snuggling close to the Moon January 18, 2019

Moon and Companions A bright triangle in the dawn sky December 2, 2018

Harvest Moon Lining up the Harvest Moon September 23, 2018

Moon and Regulus Night and day on the Moon April 23, 2018

Eclipsed Blue Moon A super blue lunar eclipse January 30, 2018

Crescent Moon Shedding light on the crescent Moon January 19, 2018

Harvest Moon Sliding back the Harvest Moon October 5, 2017

Thunder Moon The right Moon for the right season July 8, 2017

Moon and Regulus Sneaking up on the celestial lion — after this. February 10, 2017

Featured Images

Moon over Arches National Park

Plenty of Moonlight December 11, 2019
D-Day invasion, influenced by the phase of the Moon

Lunar Influence June 6, 2019
Full Moon behind the Wisconsin state capitol, September 2015

Bright Moon November 13, 2016
Total lunar eclipse, October 2014

Lunar Eclipse September 26, 2015