On Friday, June 26, the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with about 88% of its surface illuminated. Skywatchers can spot major surface features with the naked eye, add more detail with binoculars, and see still more through a telescope.
If you step outside tonight and look up, the Moon won’t feel “mysterious” so much as it will feel close—bright, detailed, and already well along its path toward full illumination.
As of Friday, June 26, the Moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. Tonight, 88% of the Moon will be lit, a level that makes surface features easier to pick out without any special setup.
With nothing more than your eyes, you should be able to see Mares Crisium and Imbrium, along with the Copernicus Crater. Binoculars open up more landmarks too, including a glimpse of the Clavius Crater, the Apennine Mountains, and the Alps Mountains.
A telescope brings the night into sharper focus. With one, you can look for the Rima Ariadaeus, the Fra Mauro Highlands, and the Apollo 17 landing spot—details that reward anyone willing to spend a few quiet minutes scanning the Moon’s bright face.
The lunar rhythm doesn’t stop here. The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.
The reason the Moon keeps changing shape comes down to how sunlight hits it as it moves through its orbit. NASA says it takes roughly 29.5 days for the Moon to circle Earth once. passing through eight distinct phases during that time. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon. the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as the angle changes.
That’s what drives the lunar cycle—from thin crescents and half-lit phases to the moment when the entire face becomes visible during a Full Moon.
Here’s how the phases unfold: New Moon happens when the Moon sits between Earth and the sun, leaving the side we see dark. Waxing Crescent is when a small sliver of light appears on the right side in the Northern Hemisphere. First Quarter is a half-Moon with the right side lit.
Waxing Gibbous arrives when more than half is lit, but it’s not quite full yet. Full Moon is the fully illuminated face. After that, Waning Gibbous begins as the Moon starts losing light on the right side in the Northern Hemisphere.
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) is another half-Moon, with the left side lit. Waning Crescent is the final thin sliver on the left side before it goes dark again—leading back to the next New Moon.
moon phase today June 26 moon waxing gibbous 88% moon lit moon gazing Mares Crisium Mares Imbrium Copernicus crater Clavius crater Apollo 17 landing spot NASA Daily Moon Guide full moon June 29
88% sounds fake lol. Like who’s measuring that from my backyard?
So the moon is basically almost full on June 26?? I tried looking last night and it was cloudy so thanks for the reminder I guess.
Wait does that mean it’s closer to us or something? I thought “waxing gibbous” was like the moon getting thicker in the sky. Also Copernicus sounds like a city not a crater.
June 29 is the next full moon right? I saw a post that said full moons cause crazy behavior or whatever but then I heard it’s just light angle. Either way I’m gonna try binoculars, I can never find Copernicus like they say. If it’s 88% lit then maybe I’ll see the Apollo 17 spot with my eyes too? Probably not though, I always miss the “important” stuff.