Moon Phase Today: In the full moon phase of your lunar cycle, 99% illuminated
Science: Today, October 17, 2024, the moon is 15 days old and in the full moon phase of its lunar cycle. It is 99% illuminated.
October 2024 Moon Phases and Dates
Moon Phase Date Header Cell – Column 2
New moon October 2 Row 0 – Cell 2
First quarter October 10 Row 1 – Cell 2
Full moon October 17 Row 2 – Cell 2
Third/Last quarter October 24The phases of the moon trace the passage of time in the night sky. On some nights when we see the moon, it is full and bright; sometimes it is just a sliver of silvery light. These changes in appearance are the phases of the moon. As the moon orbits Earth, it goes through eight distinct phases.
The four primary phases of the moon (new moon, first quarter, full moon, last quarter) occur about a week apart, with the full moon being its brightest phase.
Although the moon has four main phases each month, it is always changing. As you look at the moon during the month, watch how it progresses from new moon to first quarter moon. As it grows, it is known as a waxing moon, and gradually grows from a waxing “crescent” (for its shape in a first quarter moon). As it continues to brighten, it takes on an oblong, or “gibbous” shape until it reaches the full moon phase. Then it will repeat, reversing the phases as it moves back toward new moon. You can view today’s moon phase with the widget embedded on this page, courtesy of In-The-Sky.org.
A full moon occurs when the sun fully illuminates the lunar face visible to Earth. This means that the full moon, rather than a first quarter moon and last quarter moon, when the lunar face is half-illuminated, represents a half-illuminated moon.
“People may casually call it a half moon, but remember, that’s not actually what you’re seeing in the sky,” NASA wrote in a statement. “You’re seeing only a sliver of the full Moon — half of the illuminated half.” The full moon rises around noon and sets around midnight, according to NASA. It will appear very high over the lunar surface in the evening, making this an excellent time to view the moon, according to NASA.
