Trending

Moon Phases

The moon's phases are caused by changes in the amount of illumination from the moon that is visible from the Earth's surface as the moon orbits our planet each month. There are eight distinct phases every month, four of them occurring roughly a week apart. They are: the New Moon; Waxng Crescent; First Quarter (or half-full; Waxing Gibbous; Full Moon; Waning Gibbous; Last Quarter (half-full on other side); Waning Crescent. You can read definitions for these moon phases here. When the moon is full and at its closest point to the Earth in it's orbit, it is known as a "Supermoon." Lunar eclipses occur during full moons, when the moon passes through all or part of Earth's shadow. During New Moons, the moon can cover part or all of the sun's disk, creating a solar eclipse. Learn more about the moon's phases here. 

Related Topics: The Moon

Latest Updates

This image, taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, showcases the fluffy (or flocculent), feathery features of the spiral galaxy NGC 2275. The galaxy is located 67 million light-years away in the constellation of Cancer.

Space photos: The most amazing images this week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia

See the best photos on Space.com this week.

Macy's fireworks go off on the top of the Empire State Building as the full buck moon rises in the sky on July 4, 2020 as seen from Weehawken, New Jersey.

July's full 'Buck Moon' wows skywatchers despite lackluster lunar eclipse

By Chelsea Gohd

Some skywatchers may have seen more than mere fireworks in the night sky during their Fourth of July celebrations on Saturday: the full moon.

This map from In-The-Sky.org shows the visibility area for the penumbral lunar eclipse of July 4-5, 2020.

The 'Buck Moon' lunar eclipse this Fourth of July will be hard to see

By Elizabeth Howell

The minor Independence Day eclipse will be difficult to spot and observers shouldn't expect mind-blowing views of the moon in Earth's shadow..

This sky map from the SkySafari astronomy software shows the path of the July 2020 full moon, known as the Buck Moon or Thunder Moon, as it dips through the outer edge of the Earth's shadow in the penumbral lunar eclipse of July 4-5, 2020.

A 'Buck Moon' lunar eclipse occurs this Fourth of July. Don't expect to see much.

By Joe Rao

The Full Buck moon of July 2020 will experience a minor penumbral lunar eclipse this weekend (July 4 and 5), but don't expect much.

Astrophysicist Gianluca Masi of The Virtual Telescope Project in Italy captured these images of a penumbral lunar eclipse on Feb. 10-11, 2017.

July full moon 2020: 'Buck Moon' lunar eclipse meets Jupiter in the night sky

By Jesse Emspak

The July full moon, also known as the Buck Moon or Thunder Moon, occurs just after midnight on Sunday (July 5), with the moon reaching full phase at 12:44 a.m. EDT (0444 GMT)

Full Moon with Airplane

2020 Full Moon Calendar

By Tim Sharp, Kimberly Hickok

The full moon happens once a month. Find out when.

This illustration (made using real images and data) shows the moon in shadow during the "new moon" lunar phase.

June new moon 2020: See the moon eclipse the sun after a close pass with Venus

By Jesse Emspak

The new moon on Sunday (June 21) brings an annular solar eclipse to Africa, Asia and the Pacific, just two days after the waning crescent makes a close pass to Venus and a day after the solstice.

The last-quarter moon will be in conjunction with Mars on June 12 at 2:24 a.m. EDT (0624 GMT). Catch them together in the predawn sky on June 13.

See Mars rise with the 'half' moon early Saturday morning

By Hanneke Weitering

The last-quarter moon will make a close approach to the Red Planet in the predawn sky on Saturday (June 13), providing a celestial treat for early birds and night owls.

The Full Strawberry Moon is seen during the penumbral lunar eclipse over the sky of Bekasi, Indonesia, on June 6, 2020.

'Strawberry Moon' lunar eclipse treats skywatchers around the world (photos)

By Elizabeth Howell

Photographers around the world captured stunning images of the recent Full Strawberry Moon eclipse, showing the subtle darkening as the moon barely grazed the shadow of the Earth.

This composite image of an annular solar eclipse was taken by Koji Kudo from Kawasaki, Japan, on May 21, 2012.

Eclipse season 2020 has arrived! Catch 2 lunar eclipses and a 'ring of fire' this summer

By Joe Rao

During June and early July, it is eclipse season once again. In the coming weeks, there will be three eclipses that take place: one of the sun and two of the moon.

The full Strawberry Moon rises over Manhattan in this photo taken by John Entwistle on June 9, 2017.

June full moon 2020: The 'Strawberry Moon' brings a penumbral lunar eclipse

By Jesse Emspak

The full moon of June, also called the Strawberry Moon, will occur June 5 at 3:12 p.m. EDT (1912 GMT). That same day, a penumbral lunar eclipse will be visible in Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Astrophotographer Lisa Shislowski captured the 2020 Flower Moon moonrise, taken over the Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

In photos: The dazzling 'Super Flower Moon' of May 2020

By Chelsea Gohd

Space.com readers not only enjoyed the spectacle but snapped some truly incredible photos of the full moon.

The Flower Moon, as seen in Bintan island, Riau islands province, Indonesia on May 7, 2020. In front of the moon you can see the silhouette of a dove.

See the Full Flower Moon, last supermoon of 2020, bloom in these stunning photos

By Chelsea Gohd

May's full moon, also known as the "Flower Moon," dazzled skywatchers on Thursday (May 7) as it lit up the springtime sky.

The moon looks clearer than ever in this epic composite image by photographer Andrew McCarthy.

New image captures 'impossible' view of the moon's surface

By Brandon Specktor

Photographer Andrew McCarthy photographed the demarcation between the moon's light and dark sides for two weeks to create this unbelievably crisp image of our satellite's Earth-side craters.

The Full Flower Moon occurs May 7, 2020 at 6:45 a.m. EDT (1045 GMT), about 32 hours after the moon reached perigee, or the closest approach to Earth in its orbit. Astronomers disagree on whether it qualifies as a "supermoon.”

Will the 'Full Flower Supermoon' of May actually be 'super'? The experts disagree.

By Elizabeth Howell

Is the Full Flower Moon today (May 7) really a supermoon? It depends on who you ask.

Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope project in Rome, Italy shared this photo of the supermoon rising on Dec. 13, 2016.

'Full Flower Moon': See the last supermoon of 2020 at its best in these webcasts

By Elizabeth Howell

May's full moon is Thursday, May 7, but you can see it at its best tonight!

The full Flower Moon will occur on May 7, 2020.

May full moon 2020: How to see the Flower Moon and the last supermoon of 2020

By Jesse Emspak

The full moon of May, also called the Flower Moon, arrives on Thursday (May 7). It will be the third and final "supermoon" of 2020.

Photographer Stojan Stojanovski took this incredible photo of the pink supermoon over Samuel's Fortress in Ohrid, North Macedonia.

'Super Pink Moon,' the biggest & brightest of 2020, stuns skywatchers around the world (photos)

By Chelsea Gohd

The "Super Pink Moon" on April 7 was the biggest and brightest moon of the year.

A "Super Pink Moon" in 2013. The full moon of April 2020, a so called Pink Moon, will be the largest full moon of 2020.

Here's the best way to enjoy the 'Super Pink Moon,' according to a NASA astronomer

By Chelsea Gohd

Tonight (April 7), the moon will be at its brightest and largest for the whole year during the "Super Pink Moon."

The full pink moon rises over Boston in this photo taken by Chris Cook on Wednesday (April 11). April's full moon isn't actually pink; it's named after the wild ground phlox, one of the first flowers to bloom in spring. Cook said the full moon appeared red-orange that evening due to the thick atmosphere, dust, haze and pollen in the air.

No, the 'Super Pink Moon' isn't really pink … though we wish it was

By Chelsea Gohd

As much as I (an avid lover of all things pink) would love for the "Super Pink Moon," which comes out tonight (April 7) to actually be pink, it won't be.