Articles About Moon (69)

The Moon Phases

The Moon has four primary and four intermediate lunar phases during a lunar month. Here's all you need to know about each phase of the lunar cycle.

Illustrative comparison of a Supermoon and Micromoon.

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.

2 kids watching seagulls at low tide on a beach

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.

The Moon: Our Satellite

Our Moon is the 5th-largest of the more than 200 moons in the solar system.

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 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.

Baily’s Beads seen from Madras, Oregon during the total solar eclipse of August 2017.

Sunlight through valleys

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.

The diamond ring effect, as seen from San José de Jáchal, Argentina, July 2019.

A jewel in the sky

Solar and Lunar Eclipses

Solar and lunar eclipses, why they occur, when the next eclipse is, and from where you can see them.

An eclipsed Moon, framed between two buildings

Eclipse Seasons

Roughly speaking, there are two eclipse seasons per year. Each season contains different kinds of eclipses to the last one.

Map of Partial Lunar Eclipse on November 18–19, 2021

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.

Black background with rays extending out from a circle and a bright light from the top of the circle.

How Often Do Solar Eclipses Happen?

There are between 2 and 5 solar eclipses every year, each one visible only in a limited area.

Hybrid Solar Eclipse

A hybrid solar eclipse or annular/total eclipse changes from a total to an annular eclipse. Why is that so? When is the next hybrid eclipse?

Vector illustration of partial solar eclipse and a blue sky.

Eclipse Magnitude

Learn more about the number that tells us how deep an eclipse will be.

A Once-In-A-Thousand-Years Eclipse

The partial lunar eclipse on November 19, 2021, was the longest since the 15th century, around the time Machu Picchu was being built.

Partial Lunar Eclipse

What happens when the Earth’s dark shadow covers part of the Moon’s face?

Partial Solar Eclipse

A partial solar eclipse happens when the Moon only partially covers the Sun.

Penumbral lunar eclipse illustration with positions of Sun, Earth, and Moon in space

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.

Vector illustration of eclipsed moon during penumbral eclipse.

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

What happens when the Earth’s lighter, outer shadow covers the Moon?

Partial lunar eclipse on the dark, starry night with Earth's shadow marked on the sky.

Shadow Science

There are three kinds of shadows that produce eclipses.

Illustration of a partial, annular, and a total solar eclipse.

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.

What's 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.

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.

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.

Total Lunar Eclipse

What happens when the Earth’s dark, reddish shadow covers the Moon completely?

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.

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.

Vector illustration of a hand pointing out at an eclipsed moon.

Watching Lunar Eclipses

A lunar eclipse can be seen with the naked eye, unlike solar eclipses, which have special safety requirements.

Total lunar eclipse and magnifying glass.

Lunar Eclipse: Red Moon

Find out why a totally eclipsed Moon turns a shade of red.

Families flying kites from the rooftops of their old brick buildings in the old city of Jaipur. This is a popular sport of Makar Sankranti and Independence Day.

Holidays Connected to Astronomic Events

People worldwide mark the movement of celestial bodies with a wide variety of celebrations and rituals. We list the most important astronomical holidays.

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?

Crescent Moon with dark blue sky in the background. The unlit part of the Moon has a dim glow. Bright star shines to the left of the Moon.

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.

Vector illustration of thick book and a pencil

Astronomical Glossary - Terms & Definitions

What do astronomers really mean when they use those technical terms?

Illustration of altitude and azimuth in the celestial sphere.

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.

Image of a waterfall at night with one bright moon bow and a faint moon bow above it. Dark skies and city lights in the background.

What Are Moonbows?

Moonbows occur when the Moon’s light is reflected and refracted off water droplets in the air.

Illustration of night sky with stars and a crescent moon.

Astro Events 2026

When, where, and how to see things happening in the sky and space.

A big orange pink Full Moon rising behind snowy mountains and reflected on an icy lake.

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.

Dark New Moon night with the star filled sky in the background and fir trees in the foreground.

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.

Full Moon peeking through branches. Blue and foggy background.

What Is a Blue Moon?

“Once in a blue moon” suggests something is very rare. But just how rare is a Blue 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.

A herd of mule deer standing in tall grass in front of a blurry Full Moon.

July: Buck Moon

The Full Moon in July is the Buck Moon. It is also called Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, and Wyrt Moon.

Image of a Full Moon rising over the Swiss Alps.

December: Cold Moon

The December Full Moon is called the Cold Moon, Long Nights Moon, the Moon before Yule, Oak Moon, and Wolf Moon.

Close-up of the far side of the Moon with partial Earth in the background.

The Moon's Far Side

Contrary to popular belief, there is no "dark side of the Moon." When there is a New Moon from Earth's perspective, the far side of the Moon is lit up.

Underside of an airplane visible in front of a half Moon during the day with a blue sky in the background.

First Quarter Moon

The first Quarter Moon is a primary Moon phase when we can see exactly half of the Moon’s surface lit up.

Out of focus cherry blossoms framing a sharp Full Moon in the middle of the image.

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?

A big, yellow Full Moon partially covered with clouds rising over a field of grains out of focus.

September: Harvest and Corn Moon

The September Full Moon can be both the Harvest Moon and the Corn Moon. However, around every three years, the Harvest Moon occurs in October.

The Full Moon

The third primary phase of the Moon is the Full Moon.

Inquisitive Palomino horse with a white blaze standing in a field at sunset. The mountains and sky glow red from the setting sun.

Full Moon Names

Ancient cultures gave names to the Full Moon. These names are still in use today.

Full moon on the horizon at the end of a dock.

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?

Illustration of the illuminated part of the Moon at the four primary Moon phases and during the four intermediate Moon phases as seen from the Northern Hemisphere.

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.

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.

Full Moon and branches against a dark sky.

What Is a Micromoon?

A Micromoon is the name given to a Full or New Moon when the Moon is farthest from Earth.

Silhouette of a woman against a large full Moon in the background.

The Moon Effect

Does the Moon really affect our sleep, behavior, and personality?

A woman hiker taking a picture of the Crescent Moon over three pointy mountains: Tre Cime in the Dolomites , Italy.

Take a Good Picture of the Moon

You can take great pictures of the Moon with a bit of planning.

Illustration of the Moon's position in space in relation to Earth and the Sun at New Moon.

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.

Mountainside filled with pink flowers under a pink sunset sky.

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?

A screenshot from timeanddate's Moon phases video, showing the Moon and Sun moving across the sky

Seven Ways We Simplified Our Moon Phases Video

Seven of the biggest simplifications we made in our video about Moon phases.

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.

Paddleboarders below the strawberry moon at Barceloneta beach, Barcelona, Spain.

June: Strawberry Moon

What is a Strawberry Moon, a.k.a. Rose Moon? When is the Strawberry Full Moon in 2026, why does it happen in June, and how did it get its name?

A woman goes for a stand up paddleboard trip at night under a full moon on a small lake in Ontario, Canada.

August: Sturgeon Moon

The Full Moon in August is called the Sturgeon Moon, named after North America's largest fish. Find out why as well as other names for this Moon.

A Last Quarter Moon, also called Half Moon, where the left half of the Moon is lit up.

Third Quarter Moon

The Third or Last Quarter Moon is when the opposite half of the Moon is illuminated compared to the First Quarter.

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.

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.

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.

A big yellow Full Moon setting behind snowy Alaska Range mountains near Denali with pine trees in the foreground.

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.

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. Discover other names for this Moon.

Photograph of a golden full moon rising above forested mountains in a gradient blue to purple to pink sky.

The Super Harvest Moon Eclipse 2024

Five reasons why the Full Moon on the night of September 17–18, 2024, will be extra special.

Illustration of two people sitting on a tree branch, watching the full moon.

Valentine’s Day 2025: A Moon for Lovers

Celebrate love under a glowing Moon! Valentine's Day 2025 is a Full Moon holiday in 29 countries. Find out why a nearly full Moon makes for the perfect romantic night.