Moon Tonight — Nov. 16: Waning Crescent (12% Illuminated) — What to Look For

Moon Tonight — Nov. 16: Waning Crescent (12% illuminated)

If you’ve noticed the Moon shrinking each night, that’s the lunar cycle at work: progressively less of the lunar surface is lit until the New Moon, when it becomes essentially invisible from Earth.

What is the Moon’s phase tonight?

As of Sunday, Nov. 16, the Moon is in a Waning Crescent phase, with about 12% of the lunar disk illuminated, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Observation. The thin crescent is best seen low in the eastern sky in the hours before sunrise. When the bright crescent is visible, the dark portion of the disk may also be faintly lit by Earthshine — sunlight reflected from Earth onto the Moon — making surface features easier to spot.

Even with modest equipment you can see interesting features tonight: the Aristarchus Plateau (within a crater roughly 25 miles across) can be visible to the unaided eye under good conditions; binoculars will help reveal the Grimaldi Basin; and a small telescope can show markings such as Reiner Gamma. Use low magnification and steady support for the best views.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will occur on Dec. 4.

What are moon phases?

Moon phases — including the Waning Crescent — are stages of a roughly 29.5-day lunar cycle, per NASA. They describe how the Moon appears from Earth as it orbits us. The same lunar hemisphere always faces Earth, but the portion lit by the Sun changes with the Moon’s position, producing appearances that range from fully lit to nearly invisible at New Moon.

There are eight principal phases that repeat each cycle:

• New Moon — The Moon lies between Earth and the Sun; the near side is dark and typically invisible.
• Waxing Crescent — A thin crescent appears on the right (Northern Hemisphere).
• First Quarter — The right half of the Moon is illuminated (a half-moon).
• Waxing Gibbous — More than half is lit as the Moon approaches full.
• Full Moon — The entire face visible from Earth is illuminated.
• Waning Gibbous — Illumination begins to decrease on the right (Northern Hemisphere).
• Third Quarter (Last Quarter) — A half-moon again, with the left side lit.
• Waning Crescent — A thin left-hand sliver remains before returning to New Moon.

Whether you’re a casual skywatcher or using binoculars or a small telescope, tonight’s slim crescent offers a nice opportunity to spot subtle features and enjoy Earthshine. Source: NASA Daily Moon Observation.