Articles About Moon (68)
What Is a Supermoon?
When the Full Moon or occurs near the Moon's closest approach to Earth, its perigee, it is often called a supermoon.
What Causes Tides?
The gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun makes the water in the oceans bulge, causing a continuous change between high and low tide.
October: Hunter’s Moon
October’s Full Moon is the Hunter’s Moon. It's also called the Drying Rice Moon, Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon. Every three years or so, it's also the Harvest Moon.
Full Moon Names
Ancient cultures gave names to the Full Moon. These names are still in use today.
The Full Moon
The third primary phase of the Moon is the Full Moon.
What's a Blood Moon?
A total lunar eclipse is often called a Blood Moon because of the red glow the eclipsed Moon gets. The term is also used for four total lunar eclipses that occur in a row.
Astronomical Events 2024
When, where, and how to see things happening in the sky and space.
The New Moon
When is the next New Moon? New Moon is when the Sun and Moon are aligned, with the Sun and Earth on opposite sides of the Moon.
What Is a Blue Moon?
“Once in a blue moon” suggests something is very rare. But just how rare is a Blue Moon?
The Harvest Moon 2024
The Harvest Moon varies between September or October in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the Full Moon nearest the autumnal (fall) equinox.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses
Solar and lunar eclipses, why they occur, when the next eclipse is, and from where you can see them.
Magnetic Declination
A compass needle doesn't point to the geographical North Pole but to magnetic north. Did you know that it usually doesn't point to the magnetic North Pole either?
First Quarter Moon
The 1st Quarter Moon is a primary Moon phase when we can see exactly half of the Moon's surface lit up. Which half depends on where you are on Earth.
Total Solar Eclipse
Total solar eclipses occur when the New Moon comes between the Sun and Earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow, the umbra, on Earth.
Waxing Gibbous Moon
The Waxing Gibbous Moon is an intermediate Moon phase that starts after the First Quarter Moon and lasts until the Full Moon.
What Is Lunar Perigee and Apogee?
The Moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical. The point of the orbit closest to Earth is called perigee, while the point farthest from Earth is known as apogee.
Third Quarter Moon
The Third or Last Quarter Moon is when the opposite half of the Moon is illuminated compared to the First Quarter.
Total Lunar Eclipses
A total lunar eclipse happens when Earth's shadow blocks the direct light from the Sun reaching the Full Moon.
Waning Gibbous Moon
The Waning Gibbous Moon is an intermediate Moon phase that starts after the Full Moon and lasts until half of the Moon's face remains lit-up at Third Quarter Moon.
What Is a Solar Eclipse?
Solar eclipses happen when the Moon moves between Sun and Earth, blocking the Sun's rays and casting a shadow on Earth.
Lunar Eclipse: Red Moon
Find out why a totally eclipsed Moon turns a shade of red.
November: Beaver Moon
The Full Moon in November is named after beavers. It is also called Frost Moon and Mourning Moon, depending on the winter solstice.
Astronomical Glossary - Terms & Definitions
What do astronomers really mean when they use those technical terms?
Waxing Crescent Moon
The Waxing Crescent Moon phase starts after New Moon and lasts until half of the Waxing Moon's surface is illuminated at First Quarter Moon.
Solar Eclipse Myths
The solar eclipse has inspired many mythical stories and influenced human behavior. Even today, eclipses of the Sun are considered bad omens in many cultures.
What Is a Micromoon?
A Micromoon is the name given to a Full or New Moon when the Moon is farthest from Earth.
What Is a Black Moon?
A Black Moon can be the third New Moon in a season with four New Moons or the second New Moon in the same calendar month, or even no New Moon at all.
How Often Do Solar Eclipses Happen?
There are between 2 and 5 solar eclipses every year, each one visible only in a limited area.
Waning Crescent Moon
During the Waning Crescent Moon phase, the lit-up part of the Waning Moon shrinks from the Third Quarter Moon until it disappears from view at New Moon.
Annular Solar Eclipse
An annular solar eclipse is when the Moon moves in front of the Sun but leaves the outer edge of the Sun visible as a ring of fire.
What Are Moonbows?
Moonbows occur when the Moon’s light is reflected and refracted off water droplets in the air.
What Is the Umbra?
The umbra is the dark center portion of a shadow. The Moon's umbra causes total solar eclipses, and the Earth's umbra is involved in total and partial lunar eclipses.
Watching Lunar Eclipses
A lunar eclipse can be seen with the naked eye, unlike solar eclipses, which have special safety requirements.
Partial Solar Eclipse
A partial solar eclipse happens when the Moon only partially covers the Sun.
Altitude & Azimuth: The Horizontal Coordinate System
Learn how to use altitude (elevation) and azimuth angles to locate any object in the sky, such as stars, planets, satellites, the Sun, or the Moon.
January: Wolf Moon
January’s Full Moon is named after howling wolves. In some cultures, it's known as the Quiet Moon, Severe Moon, and the Moon after Yule.
Why 3 Shadows?
Objects cast 3 different shadows: umbra, penumbra, and antumbra. Why are there 3 types of shadows and how do they determine the type of an eclipse?
The Moon Illusion
Some days, the Full Moon at the horizon looks larger than a normal Full Moon. Does the Moon really change size or is this an illusion?
What Is a Lunar Month?
A lunar month is the time it takes the Moon to pass through all of the Moon phases, usually measured from a New Moon the next New Moon.
Solar Eclipses in History
Solar eclipses were historically seen as omens that bring about death and destruction. People in many ancient civilizations tried their best to understand them.
What Is a Partial Lunar Eclipse?
A partial lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, but they are not precisely aligned.
What Is the Penumbra?
The penumbra is the lighter outer part of a shadow. The Moon's penumbra causes partial solar eclipses, and the Earth's penumbra is involved in penumbral lunar eclipses.
December: Cold Moon
The December Full Moon is called the Cold Moon, Long Nights Moon, the Moon before Yule, Oak Moon, and Wolf Moon.
August: Sturgeon Moon
The Full Moon in August is called the Sturgeon Moon, named after North America’s largest fish. Other names for this Full Moon include Grain Moon, Corn Moon, Lynx Moon, and Lightning Moon.
What Is the Antumbra?
The antumbra is the lighter part of a shadow that forms at a certain distance from the object casting the shadow. It is involved in annular solar eclipses and planet transits.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the outer shadow of Earth falls on the Moon's face. It is easy to miss this type of lunar eclipse.
Hybrid Solar Eclipse
A hybrid solar eclipse or annular/total eclipse starts as a total solar eclipse but changes into an annular solar eclipse. Why is that so? When is the next hybrid eclipse?
Eclipse Magnitude
Eclipse magnitude is a number that astronomers associate with solar or lunar eclipses. What does it mean?
March: Worm Moon
The Full Moon in March is the Worm Moon, but if it occurs on or after March 21 it is also the Paschal Moon. It's also called Lenten, Crow, Crust, Chaste, Sugar, and Sap Moon.
The Moon's Far Side
We can never see the far side of the Moon from Earth. But it is not permanently dark. When the side we see from Earth is lit up at Full Moon, the opposite side is in darkness.
September: Harvest and Corn Moon
The September Full Moon can be both the Harvest Moon and the Corn Moon. Most years, the Harvest Moon is in September, but around every three years, it’s in October.
February: Snow Moon
The February Full Moon is named after the snow on the ground. Some Native American tribes named this the Hunger Moon, others call it the Storm Moon.
April: Pink Moon
The Pink Moon is the Full Moon in April. It is also called Breaking Ice Moon, Budding Moon, Awakening Moon, Egg Moon, and Paschal Moon. When is the Pink Moon?
June: Strawberry Moon
What is a Strawberry Moon, also called Rose Moon? When is the next Strawberry Full Moon in 2024, why does it happen in June, and how did it get its name?
May: Flower Moon
The Full Moon in May is known as the Flower Moon or Full Flower Moon. Other names include Milk Moon and Hare Moon. What is the meaning behind these names?
What Is Earthshine?
Earthshine is a dull glow that occurs when the Sun’s light reflects off the Earth's surface and illuminates the unlit portion of the Moon.
July: Buck Moon
The Full Moon in July is the Buck Moon. It is also called Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, and Wyrt Moon.
Is a Blue Moon Blue?
A Blue Moon is a type of a Full Moon. It can also be a rare Moon that looks blue due to atmospheric dust particles.
Sunlight through valleys
Read more about Baily’s beads.
A jewel in the sky
Read more about the diamond ring.
Eclipse Seasons
Roughly speaking, there are two eclipse seasons per year. Each season contains different kinds of eclipses to the last one.
Why Does a Lunar Eclipse Have Two Dates?
The date of a lunar eclipse depends on where you are in the world. At timeanddate, we normally use two numbers to give the date of a lunar eclipse.
A Once-In-A-Thousand-Years Eclipse
The partial lunar eclipse on November 19, 202 was the longest since the 15th century, around the time Machu Picchu was being built.
The Moon: Our Satellite
Our Moon is the 5th-largest of the more than 200 moons in the solar system.
The Moon Effect
Does the Moon really affect our sleep, behavior, and personality?
Take a Good Picture of the Moon
You can take great pictures of the Moon with a bit of planning.
The Moon Phases
The Moon has four primary phases and four intermediate phases during a lunar month. The primary are New Moon, First Quarter Moon, Full Moon, and Third Quarter Moon.
Seven Ways We Simplified Our Moon Phases Video
Seven of the biggest simplifications we made in our video about Moon phases.