Moon Phase Calendar

Track the Moon's journey through its phases and zodiac signs. See today's Moon at a glance.

May 2026

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New Moon

A time for setting intentions, planting seeds, and beginning new projects. The sky is dark and full of potential.

Full Moon

A time of culmination, illumination, and release. Emotions run high and clarity arrives.

Moon Sign Today

The zodiac sign the Moon occupies today colours your emotional landscape and intuitive responses.

What Are Moon Phases?

The Moon cycles through 8 distinct phases every 29.5 days — a rhythm called the synodic month. The Moon produces no light of its own. What we see is sunlight bouncing off lunar rock, and the phase depends on the angle between Sun, Earth, and Moon. Four primary phases anchor the cycle: New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, Last Quarter. Between each, four intermediate phases — Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous, Waning Crescent — mark the gradual shift. 'Waxing' means the illuminated area grows. 'Waning' means it shrinks. 'Crescent' describes a sliver. 'Gibbous' means more than half lit. Only half the Moon ever catches sunlight. The other half stays dark. We see different fractions of the lit hemisphere depending on where the Moon sits in its orbit. At New Moon, the sunlit side faces away from Earth entirely. At Full Moon, the Earth sits between Sun and Moon, and we see the entire lit face. This 29.5-day rhythm anchored human calendars for thousands of years. The word 'month' comes from 'moon.' The Islamic, Hebrew, and Chinese calendars still track lunar months. Understanding the phases means understanding the sky's oldest clock — one that still runs, and still matters for planning by natural rhythm.

How the Moon Affects You

Science remains cautious about the Moon's effect on human behavior. A 2013 study in Current Biology found sleep quality dropped around Full Moons — participants took 5 minutes longer to fall asleep and slept 20 minutes less, even in a controlled lab with no moonlight. A larger 2021 study in Science Advances confirmed the pattern across 500+ participants, including in cities with heavy artificial light. Ask any nurse, bartender, or police officer about Full Moon nights and you'll hear stories that don't always survive peer review. The mechanism — if one exists — may involve light disruption (Full Moon brightness crosses the threshold for affecting melatonin) or subtle gravitational effects on body water. The evidence is small but consistent enough to matter. Lunar traditions run far older than the studies. Farmers plant by the Moon. Fishermen track tides by the phase. Cultures worldwide mark New Moons for beginnings and Full Moons for completion. Whether the cause is biological, psychological, or cultural, tracking your own moods alongside the phases for 3-4 months builds a personal dataset. Patterns emerge. You might discover you feel creative during Waxing Crescent or restless during Full Moon. That self-knowledge carries value regardless of its origin.

The Moon in Astrology

In astrology, the Moon rules emotions, home, intuition, motherhood, and the subconscious. Where the Sun represents who you are on the surface, the Moon represents what you need to feel safe, the moods that rise when you're alone, and the instincts that guide you before your conscious mind catches up. Your Moon sign — the zodiac sign the Moon occupied when you were born — shapes your emotional landscape for life. A Cancer Moon needs nurture and familiar rhythms. An Aries Moon needs quick action and independence. A Capricorn Moon feels emotions through responsibility and structure. A Pisces Moon feels everything, all at once, without always knowing why. Beyond the natal Moon, the transit Moon — where the Moon sits today — colors the mood of the day itself. A Scorpio transit Moon brings depth and intensity to conversations. A Libra transit Moon favors social harmony and compromise. Tracking the transit Moon gives you a 2.5-day read on the emotional weather, since the Moon spends roughly that long in each sign before moving on. The Moon also rules the 4th house in a birth chart — the house of home, family, and emotional roots. Planets and aspects involving your natal Moon shape how you show up in close relationships and how you comfort yourself when things get hard.

Special Moon Events

Not every Full Moon is ordinary. The Moon's orbit is elliptical, and when a Full Moon coincides with perigee — its closest approach to Earth — we get a Supermoon. These appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than an average Full Moon. Most years bring 3 or 4. Astrologer Richard Nolle coined the term in 1979. Astrologically, they intensify Full Moon themes: emotions run hotter, revelations hit harder. A Blue Moon is the second Full Moon within a single calendar month — a quirk of the 29.5-day lunar cycle against our 30 or 31-day civil months. Blue Moons occur roughly every 2.5 years. The name has nothing to do with color. Blood Moons are total lunar eclipses, when Earth's shadow falls across the Full Moon and filters sunlight through the atmosphere, casting the Moon in deep red. Harvest Moons are the Full Moons closest to the September equinox, historically helping farmers extend their working hours after sunset. Eclipse seasons arrive roughly twice a year, 6 months apart, and cluster solar and lunar eclipses within a 35-day window. Eclipse Full Moons carry weighted astrological significance — endings, revelations, fated events. Eclipse cycles repeat on an 18.6-year rhythm called the Saros cycle, linking eclipses across decades.

Manifestation with Moon Phases

Each phase of the Moon offers a different kind of energy for intentional work. The New Moon is for planting seeds — write down what you want to build over the next 29 days. Be specific. Don't edit. This is the cycle's quietest point, and clarity doesn't always arrive before the intention does. Waxing phases support action and growth. Take concrete steps. Sign up. Make the call. First Quarter brings the cycle's first real friction — push through rather than quit. Waxing Gibbous refines what you've already started. Edit, adjust, polish. The Full Moon is for release, gratitude, and completion. What you planted at the New Moon reaches a climax. Harvest the results. Celebrate what worked. Let go of what didn't. Waning phases deepen reflection. Waning Gibbous rewards sharing and teaching. Last Quarter asks you to release habits, beliefs, or relationships that no longer serve you. Waning Crescent is for rest — your energy reserves hit their lowest point, and pushing through leaves you depleted when the next cycle begins.

Explore More Lunar Tools

Discover how the Moon influences your personal chart and daily horoscope.

Calculate Your Moon Sign Retrograde Calendar

FAQ

How long does each moon phase last?

Each of the 8 phases lasts roughly 3.69 days (29.5 days divided by 8). The four primary phases — New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, Last Quarter — occur at precise astronomical moments, but their energy is typically felt for about 3 days: the day before, the day of, and the day after.

Why does the Moon look different each night?

The Moon orbits Earth in 29.5 days, and as it moves, the angle between Sun, Earth, and Moon changes. We see different fractions of the Moon's sunlit side depending on its position. The Moon itself produces no light — it simply reflects sunlight from whichever angle it happens to be viewed.

What is a void-of-course Moon?

A void-of-course Moon is the period between the Moon's last major aspect in its current sign and the moment it enters the next sign. Astrologically, these periods — sometimes lasting minutes, sometimes hours — are considered weak for new beginnings or important decisions. Routine tasks still work fine.

Do moon phases really affect us?

Modestly, according to research. The 2013 Current Biology and 2021 Science Advances studies both found small but measurable effects on sleep timing around Full Moons. Tradition goes further — linking phases to emotions, tides, agriculture, and ritual — but the scientific consensus is that direct physiological effects are subtle. The psychological and cultural effects, however, are undeniable.

How do I find my Moon sign?

Your Moon sign depends on the exact date, time, and location of your birth. Because the Moon moves through a zodiac sign every 2.5 days, even a few hours of difference can place your Moon in a different sign. Use a Moon Sign Calculator with your full birth details to find yours.

When is the next full moon?

The Moon Phase Calendar above shows upcoming Full Moons for this month and the next. Full Moons occur roughly every 29.5 days. Most calendar years contain 12 Full Moons; about every 2.5 years, a 13th Full Moon appears — called a Blue Moon.

What's the difference between a full moon and a supermoon?

A Supermoon is a Full Moon that coincides with perigee — the Moon's closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit. At perigee, the Moon sits about 363,300 km from Earth versus its average 384,400 km. That proximity makes Supermoons appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than an average Full Moon.

How often does an eclipse occur?

Earth experiences 4 to 7 eclipses per year, including both solar and lunar eclipses. They cluster in eclipse seasons — two windows per year, roughly 6 months apart, during which 2 to 3 eclipses occur within 35 days. Individual eclipses repeat on an 18.6-year cycle called the Saros cycle.