About the Lunar Calendar

The Lunar Calendar is an interactive tool that lets you explore the phases of the moon for any date, past, present, or future. It's a fascinating way to connect with the natural cycles of our celestial neighbor. This tool uses data directly from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio to provide a highly accurate depiction of the moon's appearance.

Understanding Moon Phases

The phases of the moon are the different ways the moon looks from Earth over about a month. As the moon orbits our planet, the sun lights up different parts of it. The eight main phases are:

• New Moon: The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side facing us receives no direct sunlight.
• Waxing Crescent: A small sliver of the moon becomes visible.
• First Quarter: Half the moon is illuminated, and the illuminated portion is growing.
• Waxing Gibbous: More than half the moon is lit.
• Full Moon: The Earth is between the sun and moon, and the entire side of the moon facing us is illuminated.
• Waning Gibbous: The illuminated portion starts to shrink.
• Last Quarter: The other half of the moon is lit.
• Waning Crescent: The sliver of light shrinks until the moon becomes dark again.

Key Features

• Accurate Imagery: See a high-fidelity image of the moon for any date, powered by NASA's Dial-A-Moon API.
• Detailed Information: Get precise data on illumination percentage, moon age, distance, and apparent diameter.
• Upcoming Phases: Find the dates for the next new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter.
• Interactive Controls: Play an animation of the lunar cycle or switch to a "south-up" telescopic view.

Related Tools

For another calendar based on the moon, check out the Hijri Islamic Calendar.