Reference tool
Moon position map
Moon direction, phase, and rise/set times for a selected point.
Short answer
October 2026 at a glance
Computed for 00:00 UTC each day, the moon is fullest in October 2026 on October 26, at 100% illuminated, and darkest on October 11, at 0%. The phase names on those days are full moon and new moon.
How to use it
- Click the map to choose a point. The tool starts at New York.
- Read the phase name and illumination percentage, the same for every place on Earth.
- Read the moon's elevation for that point now, and its distance from Earth in kilometers.
- Read moonrise and moonset in UTC for today. None means the event does not happen on this calendar day.
What each value means
Phase names the stage of the lunar cycle, from new moon through first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. Illumination is the fraction of the disk that is lit, the same everywhere on Earth at a given moment. Elevation depends on where you are: negative means the moon is below your horizon.
Distance changes through the month because the moon's orbit is an ellipse. A full moon near the close point looks slightly larger, which is what people call a supermoon.
Moonrise and moonset
The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day on average, so on some days it does not rise or set at all within the calendar day. The tool then shows none for that event. Times are in UTC for the same reason as the sunrise tool: the point can be anywhere on Earth.
How it is computed
All values come from the SunCalc library, which uses simplified lunar position formulas from astronomical references. They are meant for planning a night of viewing, not for precise timing. For a month of phases at once, use the moon phase calendar.
Planning to see the moon
The moon is easiest to see when its elevation is well above zero and the sky is dark. A full moon rises around sunset and sets around sunrise. A first quarter moon is highest around sunset, and a last quarter moon around sunrise.
For photography, a rising full moon near the horizon looks large next to buildings and trees. A new moon is up during the day and lost in the sun's glare, so it cannot be seen at all.
Questions people ask
Why is there no moonrise today?
Moonrise shifts about 50 minutes later each day, so some calendar days have none.
Is illumination different where I am?
No. The lit fraction is the same everywhere at one moment; only elevation and rise times depend on place.
What time zone are the times in?
UTC.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: computed with SunCalc.
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.