Ever wonder why the moon looks different every night? Well, that’s because of something called the Moon cycle.
This is a recurring series of eight unique stages of moon visibility. The entire cycle takes about 29.5 days (according to NASA), and these different stages occur when the sun shines towards different parts of the earth. The moon is always there, but what we see on Earth changes depending on the number of lights.
Look at what happened to the moon on July 6 tonight.
What is the moon phase today?
As of Monday, July 7, the eldest son is being waxed in the month phase. From Earth, 89% of the moon will appear visible (according to NASA’s daily moon observation).
This is the 12th day of the moon cycle, and the moon is very close to full. The most notable of your naked eyes tonight are the Aristarchus Plateau, Mare Serenitatis and Mare the Mare sranquillitatis.
Using the binoculars, you can also have a glimpse of the Posidonius crater, the Alphonsus crater and the Clavius crater. Add the telescope and you will also find the Apollo 17, the Fra Mauro Highlands and the Caucasus Mountains.
When is the next full moon?
The full moon of this month will be held on July 10. The last full moon was on June 11th.
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What is the moon phase?
The moon phase is caused by a 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angle between the sun, the moon and the earth. The moon phase is what the moon looks like on the earth around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much does the Sun change light up depending on where it is in orbit. This is how we get the full moon, half moon and satellite, which looks completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases that follow the repetitive cycle:
new moon – The moon is between the earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, the eyes cannot see).
Waxing the crescent moon – A small piece of light appeared on the right (northern hemisphere).
First quarter – Half of the moon lit up on the right. It looks like half a month.
Waxed eldest son – More than half the lights are lit, but not very full yet.
Full Moon – The entire face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Wake up eldest son – The moon begins to lose light on the right.
Last quarter (or Q3) – Another half month, but now the left side is lit.
A decayed new moon – A thin light left on the left and then turned black again.
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