Today’s Moon Phase: How the Moon Will Appear on July 28, 2025

Moon enthusiasts, tonight is your night. After days of only slivers of light, there’s finally something to behold on the moon’s surface.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Monday, July 28, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent. While there’s still not much light to see tonight, with only 9% of the surface visible to us on Earth (according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation), the beauty of the moon is ever-present.

It’s the fourth day of the lunar cycle, and there are sights to appreciate tonight. With the unaided eye, enjoy a glimpse of the Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis. If you have binoculars or a telescope, you may also catch a view of the Endymion Crater.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will grace the sky on August 9. The last full moon was on July 10.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases arise from the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, influencing the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. These phases reflect how the moon appears from Earth as it makes its journey around us. While we always see the same side of the moon, the amount illuminated by the Sun changes as it orbits us. This results in the various appearances of full moons, half moons, and even moons that seem completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, repeating in a beautiful cycle:

• New Moon – The moon is positioned between Earth and the sun, leaving the side we see 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 glows on the right side, resembling a half-moon.
• Waxing Gibbous – More than half is illuminated, but it’s not quite full yet.
• Full Moon – The entire face of the moon shines brightly and is fully visible.
• Waning Gibbous – The moon begins to lose light on the right side.
• Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) – Another half-moon, but now the left side is illuminated.
• Waning Crescent – A delicate sliver of light remains on the left side before the moon goes dark again.