If you're wondering how bright the moon will be tonight, keep reading. We've got all the information you need for tonight's moon, as well as what you can or cannot spot on its surface as it works through the lunar cycle.
The lunar cycle is a series of eight phases of the moon's visibility, based on how much light the sun shines on it. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.
Here's what the moon is doing today, June 23, 2025.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Monday, June 23, the moon phase is Waning Crescent. In this phase, the moon is only very slightly lit. In fact, NASA tells us only 5% of the moon's surface will be visible to us.
Today also marks day 27th of the lunar cycle. With so little of the moon lit up, the chances of spotting basins and craters with the naked eye are much less. Your only chance of spotting some moon landscape tonight is with binoculars or a telescope. If you have either of these, you have a chance of seeing the Grimaldi Basin. The Grimaldi Basin is an impact basin about 248 miles long. For stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere, concentrate your gaze to the middle left of the moon's surface. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, it's the middle right.
When is the next full moon?
June's full moon was on June 11. The next full moon will be on July 10.
What are moon phases?
NASA tells us that the moon's phases are caused by the angles between the sun, moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. So, sometimes it looks full, sometimes half, and sometimes not there at all. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle
New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver 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 up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.
Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
