How much of the Moon is lit tonight, and when it will be full.
Your answer
At 21:00 on Monday 2 November (UTC+0) the Moon is a waning crescent: 38.7% of the side facing us is lit, and it is 23.2 days since the new moon. It is shrinking toward new; in the northern hemisphere the lit side is on the left. The next full moon is Tuesday 24 November at 2:54 pm and the next new moon Monday 9 November at 7:02 am. The Moon is 376,077 km away.
| Date and time (London UK) | Name | Distance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 3 January 2026, 10:03 am | Wolf Moon | 362,301 km | |
| Sunday 1 February 2026, 10:09 pm | Snow Moon | 371,376 km | |
| Tuesday 3 March 2026, 11:38 am | Worm Moon | 382,603 km | |
| Thursday 2 April 2026, 3:12 am | Pink Moon | 393,585 km | |
| Friday 1 May 2026, 6:23 pm | Flower Moon | 401,990 km | |
| Sunday 31 May 2026, 9:45 am | Blue Moon | 406,126 km | Blue moon |
| Tuesday 30 June 2026, 12:57 am | Strawberry Moon | 405,245 km | |
| Wednesday 29 July 2026, 3:36 pm | Buck Moon | 399,605 km | |
| Friday 28 August 2026, 5:19 am | Sturgeon Moon | 390,385 km | |
| Saturday 26 September 2026, 5:49 pm | Corn Moon | 379,423 km | |
| Monday 26 October 2026, 4:12 am | Hunter's Moon | 368,859 km | |
| Tuesday 24 November 2026, 2:54 pm | Beaver Moon | 360,754 km | |
| Thursday 24 December 2026, 1:28 am | Cold Moon | 356,729 km | Supermoon |
The working
Seen from Earth, the Moon's angle east of the Sun (its elongation in longitude) runs from 0° at new moon through 90° (first quarter) and 180° (full) to 270° (last quarter). The lit share is (1 − cos angle) ÷ 2, and the age is angle ÷ 360 × 29.53 days. Astronomy Engine gives the angle for any moment; the quarter times are the moments it reaches 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°.
Now: angle 283.1°, so lit = (1 − cos 283.1°) ÷ 2 = 38.7%; age = 283.1 ÷ 360 × 29.53 = 23.22 days.
Good to know
Questions
It depends on how far the Moon has moved round from the Sun: 0° is new moon, 90° first quarter, 180° full and 270° last quarter. The calculator opens on tonight for your time zone and shows the phase, how much is lit and the next full moon.
On average 29.53 days from one new moon to the next (the synodic month). Single cycles vary by up to about 7 hours either way because the Moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle.
Yes, the phase is the same for everyone at the same moment, but the clock time and sometimes the date of a full moon differ by time zone. In the southern hemisphere the Moon also looks upside down, so a waxing moon is lit on the left.
Because the Moon is a quarter of the way round its orbit (first quarter) or three quarters (last quarter). At that moment exactly half of the side we see is lit: (1 − cos 90°) ÷ 2 = 50%.
A full moon close to the Moon’s nearest point to Earth. Definitions vary; here it is a full moon closer than 360,000 km. It looks about 7% bigger and 15% brighter than an average full moon, which is hard to notice by eye.
Usually the second full moon in one calendar month, which happens about every 2.5 years. An older meaning is the third full moon in a season with four. It is not actually blue.
Printout
A calendar of November 2026 with the Moon drawn each night, the quarter times and the year's full moons.
Times UTC+0 (London UK) · Last Quarter 1 Nov 8:28 pm · New Moon 9 Nov 7:02 am · First Quarter 17 Nov 11:48 am · Full Moon 24 Nov 2:54 pm
Full moons 2026: 3 Jan (Wolf Moon) · 1 Feb (Snow Moon) · 3 Mar (Worm Moon) · 2 Apr (Pink Moon) · 1 May (Flower Moon) · 31 May (Blue Moon) · 30 Jun (Strawberry Moon) · 29 Jul (Buck Moon) · 28 Aug (Sturgeon Moon) · 26 Sep (Corn Moon) · 26 Oct (Hunter's Moon) · 24 Nov (Beaver Moon) · 24 Dec (Cold Moon, super)
Phase drawn for 9 pm each day, as seen from the northern hemisphere. calculationtime.com/calculators/moon-phase-calculator/
Sources
Printables
Moon Phase CalculatorPin it