Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on October 9, 2026

On October 9, 2026, the Moon will be in the Waning Crescent phase, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker. This phase sees only 2% of the Moon's surface illuminated. The next Full Moon will occur sometime between October 25 and 26, depending on the time zone.

A lunar phase occurs as the Moon orbits Earth, changing its position relative to the Earth and Sun. This alters how much of the Moon's illuminated surface is visible to us. The Moon takes approximately 29.5 days to complete an orbit around Earth, during which time it goes through eight distinct phases.

The phases of the Moon, in order, are New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, and finally Waning Crescent. The New Moon phase occurs when the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, rendering the side we see dark and invisible to the naked eye. As the Moon continues its orbit, the illuminated portion gradually increases, leading to the Waxing Crescent phase with a small sliver of light visible on the right side in the Northern Hemisphere.

The First Quarter phase follows, showcasing half of the Moon as illuminated on the right side, resembling a half-Moon.

Subsequent phases include the Waxing Gibbous, where more than half of the Moon is lit, but it hasn't reached full illumination yet. The Full Moon phase is when the entire face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible. As the Moon begins to wane, the Waning Gibbous phase sets in, with the illuminated portion decreasing on the right side.

The Third Quarter, or Last Quarter, is another half-Moon, but this time the left side is lit. Finally, the Waning Crescent phase concludes the lunar cycle, with just a thin sliver of light remaining on the left side before the Moon becomes invisible again.