Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on December 14
As we approach the New Moon, the visible portion of the Moon will steadily shrink each night. Right now, though, there’s enough illumination to make out several surface features. Read on to see what you can expect to observe.
What is today’s moon phase?
On Sunday, December 14, the Moon is in a Waning Crescent phase, meaning only about 25% of its surface is illuminated, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation.
Tonight, even without any aids, you should spot Kepler Crater and Oceanus Procellarum. If you have binoculars, Grimaldi Basin and Mare Humorum come into view as well. With a telescope, you’ll also be able to observe Reiner Gamma, Schiller Crater, and Gassendi Crater.
When is the next full moon?
The upcoming full Moon occurs on January 3.
What are moon phases?
NASA explains that the Moon completes a cycle roughly every 29.5 days, during which we witness its changing appearances. Although we always see the same face of the Moon, the sunlight striking it shifts as the Moon orbits Earth, producing phases ranging from fully lit to unseen. The eight principal phases are:
- New Moon — The Moon sits between Earth and the Sun, so the side facing us is dark and effectively invisible.
- Waxing Crescent — A slender bright sliver appears on the right, in the Northern Hemisphere.
- First Quarter — Half of the Moon’s disk is illuminated on the right side, a classic half-moon.
- Waxing Gibbous — More than half is lit, but the Moon hasn’t reached full brightness yet.
- Full Moon — The entire face is brightly lit and fully visible.
- Waning Gibbous — The light begins to fade, starting from the right side.
- Third Quarter (Last Quarter) — Another half-moon, but now the left side is illuminated.
- Waning Crescent — A thin crescent remains on the left before darkness returns.
And this is the part many beginners find surprising: the cycle is continuous, with phases flowing from one to the next in about a month, driven by the geometry of the Sun-Earth-Moon system. If you’d like, I can add a simple diagram or a printable guide to help you recognize each phase at a glance.
Would you like this rewritten version tailored for a beginner audience, or kept at a science-detailed pace?
