Moon phase today explained: What the Moon will look like on March 8, 2026

We are approaching a new lunar phase, the third trimester. This is when the Moon appears half lit after the Full Moon. This is just one of the Moon’s eight unique phases of visibility, with the full lunar cycle taking approximately 29.5 days.

What is the phase of the Moon today?

Since Sunday March 8, the phase of the Moon has been waning gibbous. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, 70% of the Moon will be illuminated tonight.

If the sky is clear this evening you should be able to see the Aristarchus Plateau, Mare Imbrium and the Copernicus Crater. If you have binoculars you can see even more, including the Grimaldi Basin, the Alphonsus Crater and the Alps mountains. If you’re an avid sky watcher and have a telescope handy, set it up to get a glimpse of the Apollo 16 landing spot, Rima Hyginus, and Schiller Crater.

When will the next Full Moon take place?

In North America, the next Full Moon is expected to occur on April 1st.

What are the phases of the Moon?

NASA says the Moon takes about 29.5 days to circle Earth, as it moves through a set of eight phases. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the part lit by the Sun changes as it moves, which is why it can appear full, half lit, or barely visible at different times in the cycle. These changing views are what we call lunar phases, and there are eight in total:

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).

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.

Gibbous Decline – 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.