Today’s Moon Phase: The Appearance of the Moon on August 12, 2025

The moon continues to shine brightly in our skies after the recent full moon. Each night, you’ll observe a gentle darkening on the right-hand side (or left if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere). This shift is part of the beautiful lunar cycle, which consists of eight distinct phases reflecting the moon’s visibility. This entire cycle spans about 29.5 days, as the Sun illuminates varying parts of the moon during its orbit around Earth.

So, what can we appreciate about the moon tonight, August 12?

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Tuesday, August 12, the moon is in the Waning Gibbous phase, glowing at 88% brightness for us here on Earth. There’s much to behold tonight, coinciding with the beginning of the peak of the Perseids Meteor Shower. While the brightness of the moon may hide some meteors, a few should still shimmer through the light.

In addition to this celestial dance, without needing visual aids, you can observe the Kepler Crater, Mare Serenitatis, and the Mare Vaporum. If you have a telescope, you’ll be treated to views of Apollo 16, the Schiller Crater, and the expansive Caucasus Mountains, a mountain range stretching 323 miles.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will grace the skies on September 7. The most recent full moon illuminated our nights on August 9.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases arise from the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, altering the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. These phases represent how the moon appears from our perspective as it travels around us. Always, we see the same side of the moon; however, the amount illuminated by the Sun changes based on its position in its orbit. This produces full moons, half moons, and those that appear nearly invisible. The eight main moon phases follow a repeating cycle:

• New Moon – The moon is positioned between Earth and the sun, leaving the side visible to us dark.
• Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light emerges on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
• First Quarter – Half of the moon is lit on the right side, resembling a half-moon.
• Waxing Gibbous – More than half is illuminated but not quite full yet.
• Full Moon – The entire face of the moon is glowing and fully visible.
• Waning Gibbous – The moon begins to lose light on the right side.
• Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) – Another half-moon, now with the left side illuminated.
• Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before it goes dark again.