Moon phase today explained: What the Moon will look like on May 19, 2026

The Moon is starting to reappear on the right side, but there's still just a small sliver tonight. Can you see anything on its surface? As of Tuesday, May 19, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Tonight, 9% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide. Unfortunately, too little of the Moon is illuminated at the moment to make out any noticeable surface features. There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31. According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to orbit Earth completely, passing through eight phases during that time. While the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the way sunlight hits its surface changes throughout its orbit, creating the familiar full, half, and crescent appearances we see in the night sky. Altogether, the lunar cycle consists of eight main phases: New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye). Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere). First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon. Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s no