Stargazers can spot 30% of the lunar surface during Sunday’s waxing crescent phase, according to NASA.
As of Sunday, Nov. 15, the NASA Daily Moon Guide tracker indicates that the Moon is in the Waxing Crescent phase, providing observers with an opportunity to see features on the lunar surface as the crescent continues to fill out.
Without any visual aids, viewers can see the Mare Crisium and the Mare Fecunditatis. Observers using binoculars or a telescope can also spot the Endymion Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. Moon gazers equipped with a telescope can view all of those features in addition to the Apollo 11 and 17 landing spots.
The Moon takes approximately 29.5 days to complete one full cycle, moving along its orbit around Earth so that the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface changes. According to NASA, this creates the different phases, taking the Moon from the New Moon to the Full Moon and back again before the cycle begins once more.
The eight lunar phases consist of the New Moon, when the Moon is between Earth and the sun and the visible side is dark; the Waxing Crescent, where a small sliver of light appears on the right side in the Northern Hemisphere; the First Quarter, where half of the Moon is lit on the right side; and the Waxing Gibbous, where more than half is lit up without being fully complete.
The cycle continues with the Full Moon, where the whole face is illuminated and fully visible; the Waning Gibbous, where the Moon starts losing light on the right side in the Northern Hemisphere; the Third Quarter, or Last Quarter, which presents another half-Moon with the left side lit; and the Waning Crescent, leaving a thin sliver of light on the left side before the Moon goes dark again.
The next Full Moon will take place on November 24.
