What Is Today's Moon Phase? A Simple Guide
The Moon moves through its phases about every 29.5 days, and many people like to check the current phase as a small ritual of awareness. Here is a plain-language tour of the eight lunar phases.
The eight phases
1. **New Moon** — the Moon is between Earth and Sun; the sky is dark. Often used as a fresh-start moment. 2. **Waxing Crescent** — a sliver of light appears. 3. **First Quarter** — half lit; a point of action. 4. **Waxing Gibbous** — nearly full; refinement. 5. **Full Moon** — fully lit; a natural peak. 6. **Waning Gibbous** — light begins to decrease. 7. **Last Quarter** — half lit again; release. 8. **Waning Crescent** — a thin crescent before the cycle restarts.
Why people track it
Some use the phases as a calendar for intention-setting and letting-go. Others simply enjoy noticing the sky. Your Moon sign — the zodiac sign the Moon occupied at your birth — is a separate detail you can find with a free birth chart calculator.
Tracking the Moon is a gentle way to stay connected to natural cycles, whatever you believe it means for you.