Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on March 5

Now the Full Moon has been and gone, the illuminated portion will gradually fade as the Moon moves towards the New Moon. This is all part of the lunar cycle, the eight distinct phases of the Moon.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Thursday, March 5, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 96% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

You don't need any visual aids to enjoy moon gazing. With just your eyes tonight you can see the Aristarchus Plateau, Mare Tranquillitatis, and the Mare Imbrium. If you have binoculars, you should also catch a glimpse of the Mare Nectaris, Mare Humorum and the Clavius Crater. A telescope will help you see all this and even more, including the Apollo 11 and 12 landing spots, and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next Full Moon?

In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.

What are Moon phases?

NASA says the Moon takes around 29.5 days to circle Earth, moving through a set of eight distinct phases along the way. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the portion lit by the Sun changes as it travels, which is why it can look full, half-lit, or barely visible at different points in the cycle. These changing views are what we call the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is 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 is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.