Moon phase today explained: What the moon will look like on November 23, 2025

After days of near-total darkness, the moon is large and bright enough this evening to observe it. There’s a lot to see, so keep reading to find out what’s on display.

What is the moon phase today?

Since Sunday, November 23, the phase of the moon is the waxing crescent. This means that 10% of the Moon is illuminated tonight, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.

If you don’t have visual aids, you can see the Fecunditatis and Crisium mares. If you have binoculars or a telescope, you can also see Endymion Crater in the upper right corner (lower left, if you’re in the southern hemisphere).

When will the next full moon be?

The next full moon will take place on December 4, it will be the last of three consecutive supermoons. The last full moon was on November 5.

What are moon phases?

NASA tells us that the phases of the moon are all part of a repeating 29.5 day lunar cycle. These phases describe how the Moon appears from Earth as it orbits our planet. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the amount of sunlight illuminating it changes throughout its orbit. This is why sometimes it seems full, sometimes half, and sometimes disappears completely (the New Moon). There are eight main phases of the moon:

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.

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.