The Moon is starting to get smaller, with the right side losing light each night (if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, it will be the left side that starts to darken). This is because we are in the Moon's waning phase, as we head towards the New Moon.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Wednesday, Feb. 4, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 93% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.
Tonight, without any visual aids you should be able to see the Mare Imbrium, Kepler Crater, and the Oceanus Procellarum tonight. With binoculars, you'll also see the Alps Mountains , Mare Nectaris, and the Grimaldi Basin, too. Finally, with a telescope, you'll see all this plus the Apollo 16, 12, and 11 landing spots.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will be on March 3.
What are Moon phases?
According to NASA, the lunar cycle lasts around 29.5 days. This is how long the Moon takes to travel once around Earth. Over that period, it passes through eight recognised phases. The same side of the Moon always faces our planet, however the portion that appears lit changes as the Moon moves along its orbit. The amount of sunlight reaching the Moon is what makes it appear full, partially illuminated, or almost invisible at different points in the cycle. The eight lunar phases are:
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. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last 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.