Moon phase today explained: What the moon will look like on December 28, 2025
We are now in the gibbous period of the Moon’s lunar phase, which means we are only a few days away from the Full Moon. There’s plenty to see tonight on its surface, so keep scrolling down to see what you can spot.
What is the moon phase today?
Since Sunday, December 28, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation, 58% of the Moon will be illuminated tonight.
There’s more than half of the moon exposed tonight, so there’s plenty to see. With the naked eye you can see the Mares Fecunditatis and Serenitatis, as well as the Tycho crater. If you add binoculars, you will also see Endymion Crater, Archimedes Crater and the Apennine Mountains. With a telescope, you’ll also see the Apollo 11 landing site, the Descartes Highlands, and Linne Crater.
When will the next full moon be?
The next full moon will be on January 3. The last full moon will be on December 4.
What are moon phases?
According to NASA, it takes about 29.5 days for the Moon to complete a full cycle, called the lunar cycle. During this period, the Moon goes through a series of phases as it orbits the Earth. Even though the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight illuminating its surface changes over time. This is why the Moon appears fully lit, partially lit, or invisible at all at different stages of the cycle. The lunar cycle is divided into eight main phases:
New Moon – The Moon sits between the Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the naked eye).
Crushable speed of light
Waxed Crescent – A small burst 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, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The entire face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The moon begins to lose 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 turning dark again.
