Moon phase today explained: What the Moon will look like on March 12, 2026

The Moon doesn’t look the same every night. Sometimes it’s a full circle, other times just a thin crescent. These changes happen because of the lunar cycle, a roughly 29.5-day pattern where the Moon passes through eight phases as different parts are lit by the Sun while it orbits Earth. Keep reading to find out where we are in this cycle now. As of Thursday, March 12, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 42% of the Moon will be lit up tonight. Here's what you can see tonight. Without any visual aids you can see the Aristarchus Plateau and the Kepler Crater. With binoculars, you'll also see the Grimaldi Basin, the Gassendi Crater and the Clavius Crater. And, finally, with a telescope, you'll also see the Apollo 14 landing spot and the Schiller Crater. In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1. According to NASA, the Moon takes roughly 29.5 days to orbit Earth, passing through eight distinct phases along the way. Although we always see the same side of the Moon, the amount illuminated by the Sun shifts as it moves, which is why it can appear full, half-lit, or just a thin sliver at different times in the cycle. Thes