Moon phase today explained: What the Moon will look like on May 3, 2026

The Moon is still quite full in the sky, so there are plenty of opportunities to spot some special features on its surface.

What is the phase of the Moon today?

As of Sunday, May 3, the phase of the Moon is waning gibbous. Tonight, 98% of the Moon will be illuminated, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide.

Without any visual aids, you should be able to see the Mare Serenitatus and the Vaporum this evening, as well as the Oceanus Procellarum. With binoculars you will see Posidonus Crater, Endymion Crater and Mare Humorum. And finally, with a telescope, you’ll see all of this plus the landing sites of Apollo 14 and 17, as well as the Descartes Highlands.

When will the next Full Moon take place?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next one occurring on May 31st.

What are the phases of the Moon?

According to NASA, the Moon takes approximately 29.5 days to orbit Earth, going through eight distinct phases in the process. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the amount of sunlight hitting it changes as it moves in its orbit. The changing light creates the changing shapes we call full, half moons and crescents. In total, there are eight main lunar 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).

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.