Lunar cycle how to#

When they do, we have a lunar eclipse as Earth's shadow crosses the moon's face. The sun, Earth and the moon are aligned, but because the moon’s orbit is not exactly in the same plane as Earth’s orbit around the sun, they rarely form a perfect line. More than half of the moon's face appears to be getting sunlight.įull moon: The moon is 180 degrees away from the sun and is as close as it can be to being fully illuminated by the sun from our perspective. Waxing gibbous: The area of illumination continues to increase. See the moon phases, and the difference between a waxing and waning crescent or gibbous moon, in this infographic about the lunar cycle each month. Phases of the moon 2023 with dates (Eastern Time) New Moon If you're looking for imaging gear, our best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography guides can help prepare you for the next lunar sight.

Lunar cycle how to#

There's even a guide on how to photograph a solar eclipse. You can also check out our guide on how to photograph the moon, as well as how to photograph a lunar eclipse for major moon events. If you need equipment for viewing the moon, check out our guide to the best telescopes and the best telescopes for kids. Here are the moon phases for 2023, according to NASA's SKYCAL (opens in new tab). But because the moon's orbit is tilted with respect to the Earth, this alignment does not occur every month. Occasionally, the moon's orbit does bring it directly between the Earth and the sun during a new moon, causing a solar eclipse or, even more amazingly, a total solar eclipse. The moon is also in the sky during the day, and without its Earth-facing side illuminated by the sun, observers can't really see it. The new moon is the so-called 'invisible phase of the moon,' according to NASA (opens in new tab) because the illuminated side of the moon is facing away from Earth, toward the sun. It will occur on Thursday, April 20, at 12:12 a.m.

After the Last Quarter moon on April 13, the next moon phase milestone will be the ' New Moon'.