Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on September 22, 2026

The Full Moon is now just a few days away, so the surface of the Moon is mostly illuminated.

This means, if it's a clear night, you'll have ample opportunity to spot some features on its surface.

What can you see? Keep reading to find out.

What is today’s Moon phase? As of Tuesday, Sept.

22, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 81% of its surface visible.

Without the assistance of visual aids, you should be able to spot the Mare Vaporum, Mare Fecunditatis, and the Tycho Crater.

If you have binoculars, they'll also help you see the Mare Nectaris, Alphonsus Crater, and the Mare Frigoris.

Plus, if you have access to a telescope, you'll see the Apollo 12 and 15 landing spots, as well as the Rima Hyginus.

When is the next Full Moon? The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases? The Moon doesn't look the same from night to night.

As it travels around Earth, which takes about 29.5 days, we see different portions of its illuminated side.

This is what creates the lunar phases, with the Moon gradually progressing from a thin crescent to a half Moon and then a Full Moon before the cycle starts over.

According to NASA , the phase we see is determined by the Moon's position relative to both Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are: 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).