Moon phase today explained: What the Moon will look like on August 2, 2026

The Moon is still in its waning gibbous phase following the Full Moon. Here's what you can see on its surface tonight. As of Sunday, Aug. 2, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waning Gibbous phase, with 87% of its surface visible. You don't need to have lots of visual equipment to see features on the Moon's surface. In fact, with just your naked eye you can spot the Oceanus Procellarum, Kepler Crater, and Mare Vaporum tonight. However, visual aids do make the experience more advanced, so if you have a pair of binoculars, this will help you see the Alphonsus Crater, Mare Humorum, and the Mare Frigoris. Pull out your telescope (if you have one) to see see all clearer, plus the Apollo 15 landing spot, the Rima Ariadaeus, and the Schiller Crater. The next Full Moon will take place on August 28. According to NASA, the Moon goes through a complete cycle of eight phases roughly every 29.5 days. As it travels around Earth, the angle between the Sun, Earth and Moon constantly changes, meaning we see different amounts of the Moon's sunlit side. This is what causes the familiar progression from a thin crescent to a half Moon, then a Full Moon, before the cycle repea