When is the next full moon, and what is the moon phase tonight?
WHAT IS THE MOON PHASE TODAY ?
The moon is 99% lit tonight, March 7, 2023, when it is in the full moon phase of its lunar cycle. The moon is 15 days old – meaning it is that many days into its typically 30-day cycle. The full moon in March is often referred to as the "Worm Moon" because of the worms that begin to emerge from the ground as soon as the Northern Hemisphere's ground thaws.
full moon 99%
The cycle in a nutshell
-On January 6, 2023, the last Full Moon appeared. The Wolf Moon is another name for the full moon in January.
-On January 14, the moon enters its Third Quarter phase, when it begins to wane towards a New Moon and appears lighted on half of its Earth-facing side.
-A new moon will rise on January 21. The moon will be fully dark on its surface. The new moon cycle has just begun.
-On January 28, the moon begins its First Quarter phase, during which the Earth-facing side of the moon seems to be lighted to half its full brightness.
-On February 5, 2023, the next Full Moon will rise.
MOON PHASE CALENDAR
Phases of the moon 2023
Date Phase of the moon Time (ET)
Jan. 6 Full Moon 6:09 p.m.
Jan. 14 Third Quarter 9:13 p.m.
Jan. 21 New Moon 3:55 p.m.
Jan. 28 First Quarter 10:20 a.m.
Feb. 5 Full Moon 1:30 p.m.
Feb. 13 Third Quarter 11:03 a.m.
Feb. 20 New Moon 2:09 a.m.
Feb. 27 First Quarter 3:06 a.m.
Mar. 7 Full Moon 7:42 a.m.
Mar. 14 Third Quarter 10:10 p.m.
Mar. 21 New Moon 1:26 p.m
Mar. 28 First Quarter 10:33 p.m.
Apr. 6 Full Moon 12:37 a.m.
Apr. 13 Third Quarter 5:12 a.m.
Apr. 20 New Moon 12:15 a.m.
The moon's phases are completely predictable because they are brought on by the moon's orbit around Earth. In fact, we can predict when these phases will occur for the next 50 million years. This is how it will appear tonight:
WHAT ARE THE MOON'S PHASES.
When no light from the moon reaches Earth, we say that the moon is "new". We refer to this gradual increase in visibility as the moon waxing.
A waxing crescent can be seen initially, followed by the so-called "first quarter moon." Because to the fact that it actually appears in the night sky as a partially illuminated moon, the term is a little perplexing. But if you give it some thought, you can divide the moon into four quarters: two on the side that faces the Earth, and two on the other. Skywatchers can view a quarter of the entire Moon illuminated during a first quarter moon.
A waxing gibbous moon, which is halfway between a first quarter and a full moon, will appear after that. Because of the way it appears in the night sky, it derives from an ancient Middle English word meaning "hump." The moon is said to start waning after it is full. So, a declining gibbous moon appears first, then a last quarter moon, a fading crescent, and finally another new moon.
According to the Lunar and Planetary Institute, this cycle of phases completes in 29.5 days.
WHY DOES THE MOON HAVE PHASES ?
Dhara Patel, a space scientist at the National Space Centre in Leicester, United Kingdom, stated that the moon is only visible to humans because it is reflecting the sun's light. "The sun always lights up half of the moon wherever it is in its orbit around the Earth." Live Science was told by Patel. The same is true of the Planet; half of us live in the day and the other half in the night.
Moreover, the same side of the moon always faces Earth. "Synchronized rotation" refers to the fact that the moon rotates on its axis and orbits the Earth at the same rate. On sometimes, the lighted side of the moon is also the side that faces Earth. In that scenario, a full moon is seen. When the moon is located on Earth's opposite side of the Sun from the Sun, this occurs. Due to the Moon's inclination in relation to Earth, sunlight is typically not blocked. We experience a lunar eclipse when Earth does block the sun's light.
We see a New Moon or no light at all when the moon is directly between Earth and the sun, which entirely illuminates the side facing away from us. Again, the inclination of the moon's orbit usually prevents the moon from blocking our view of the sun. We occasionally witness solar eclipses when this happens.
According to Sky and Telescope, we can view intermediate phases like crescent, quarter, and gibbous moons when sunlight is partially falling on one side of the sky and partially on the other.
WHAT IS THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON ?
People sometimes refer to the side of the moon that constantly points away from us as the "dark side of the Moon," probably in part because to the Pink Floyd album of the same name. Although being widely used, Patel believes that the statement should not be used. The moon has a distant side, not a dark side, claimed Patel. Only at a Full Moon, when our side is entirely lit, is that far side absolutely black. The far side is at least partially lit at all other times, she claimed.
WHAT ISTHE LUNAR AND MOON CALENDAR ?
Many different civilizations and societies have utilised the moon to determine their calendars throughout human history, according to Patel. The term "moonths" refers to the division of years into months in the Gregorian calendar. The 29.5 days it takes for the moon to cycle through its phases is quite close to the duration of a calendar month on average.
For instance, the moon is used to determine the date of Easter, an event celebrated by Christians. The first Sunday following a full moon that occurs on or after the Spring equinox is when Easter Sunday falls. Easter is the following Sunday if the full Moon occurs on a Sunday.
The moon also serves as the basis for the Jewish and Islamic calendars.
The moon continues to be the basis for the Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindu, and Thai calendars as well. In order to keep track of time and the seasons, the full moon in each month is given a specific name in various civilizations, according to Patele.
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