Curious about how visible the moon will be tonight? Look no further for all the information you need, including where it is on 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 24, 2025.
What is today’s moon phase?
As of Tuesday, June 24, the moon phase is Waning Crescent. In this phase, the moon is hardly lit. In fact, NASA tells us only 1% of the moon's surface will be visible to us.
Today also marks the 28th day of the lunar cycle. With so little of the moon lit up, the chances of spotting basins and craters are much less. For tonight, NASA tells us that we won't be able to see anything on the moon's surface, even if you have binoculars or a telescope.
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?
Moon phases are part of a 29.5-day lunar cycle, NASA tells us, 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.
