As of Sunday, Sept. 13, the Moon is in the Waxing Crescent phase, showcasing about 5% of its surface, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker. This current phase marks the beginning of a gradual illumination that will culminate with the next Full Moon on September 26.
NASA Daily Moon Guide Tracking on September 7 and September 8
The Moon looks like it is almost gone from the sky tonight as it travels towards the New Moon. The Moon is looking even slimmer again as it continues towards the New Moon, with less of its surface lit by the Sun. As of Monday, Sept. 7, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in Waning Crescent phase, with 18% of its surface visible. With just your naked eye, you’ll able be able to make out the Aristarchus Plateau, while binoculars or a telescope allow viewers to see the Grimaldi Basin and the Gassendi Crater. As of Tuesday, Sept. 8, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in Waning Crescent phase, with 10% of its surface visible, where a telescope or binoculars let observers catch a glimpse of the Grimaldi Basin. It is the New Moon tonight, with the Moon positioned between Earth and the Sun and the sunlit side facing away from us, making the side we see completely dark. As of Friday, Sept. 11, NASA’s Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the New Moon phase, with 0% of its surface visible.
New Moon on September 11
The night sky is undergoing its regular monthly reset, and the lack of moonlight creates great conditions for viewing and photographing deep-sky objects. September is an exciting month for stargazing, with several stunning celestial events lined up in the coming weeks. With the New Moon phase coming up, and the night sky going pitch-black, conditions are ideal for viewers to gaze at deep-sky objects and faint stars. The New Moon occurred at 3:27 a.m. UTC on September 11, 2026, which is equivalent to 11:27 p.m. EDT on September 10, meaning U.S. viewers experienced the phenomenon on Thursday night.
Lunar Cycle and Eight Distinct Phases
The Moon’s appearance gradually changes as it travels around Earth, completing a full lunar cycle in approximately 29.5 days, NASA tells us. What we see from Earth depends on the Moon’s position in relation to the Sun, which affects how much of its illuminated side is visible. As the cycle progresses, the Moon passes through a series of phases, from a thin crescent to a half Moon and then a Full Moon, before starting over. The eight distinct phases, in order, are:
- 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.
- Waxing Gibbous
- Full Moon
- Waning Gibbous
- Third Quarter
- Waning Crescent
Moon Visibility on September 12 and September 13
The Moon may be hard to spot right now, but that won’t last for long. As the new lunar cycle gets underway, a little more of it will become visible each night. On September 12, only a small part of the Moon was visible from Earth, with about 2% of its surface visible according to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide. By Sunday, September 13, the tracker recorded 5% of its surface visible. Understanding Moon phases involves recognizing the cyclic nature of the Moon’s orbit around Earth, lasting approximately 29.5 days. As the Moon moves in relation to both Earth and the Sun, its appearance alters, and the varying positions dictate how much of the Moon’s sunlit side is visible from our perspective.
Looking ahead, the Moon’s visibility is set to increase in the coming days as it transitions into a new lunar cycle. This gradual illumination will culminate with the next Full Moon on September 26.
