Why does the full moon rise at sunset?

A full moon sits opposite the sun in the sky, so it comes up in the east as the sun goes down in the west and stays up all night. Each night after, it rises about fifty minutes later — except near the Harvest Moon, when the shallow angle of its path makes the delay only twenty or thirty minutes for several evenings.

Is the moon phase the same everywhere on Earth?

Yes — the phase is a fact about the moon and the sun, not about you. What changes with your place is the clock time of the instant, when the moon rises and sets, where it stands in your sky, and how its lit side is tilted.

A full moon that falls near perigee, the closest point of the moon's slightly oval orbit — closer than about 363,000 km by the rule the almanacs use. It looks about seven percent wider than an average full moon and up to fourteen percent wider than one at apogee; the difference is real, and hard to see without a comparison.

The moon tonight in Athens

Waning gibbous. 79% lit tonight, and shrinking.

It rises at 9:02 PM in the north-east and sets at 12:37 PM tomorrow.

Moonrise
9:02 PM
In the north-east.
Highest
4:51 AM
78° up in the south, tomorrow.
Moonset
12:37 PM
Tomorrow, in the west-north-west.
Distance
365,543 km
5% closer than average.

The moon and the stars, on one dial.

Sol for iPhone and Apple Watch is coming soon, with tonight’s moon, its rise and set, and the Sky tab’s view of where it stands.

Where to look,
and when.

You stand at the middle of your horizon. The dots are the moon’s path tonight, from where it rises to where it sets. Slide through the night to move it; drag the sky to turn it.

Now

The month ahead.

Thirty nights, each moon lit as it will be at ten in the evening. The phase is the same everywhere on Earth; only the hours are yours.

Every full moon.

The next twelve, by name and at Athens time. Each is drawn at its apparent size: a full moon near its closest looks about seven percent wider.

The next twelve full moons · Athens time

NextBeaver MoonNov 24, 2026Tue, 4:53 PMSupermoon360,768 km
Cold MoonDec 24, 2026Thu, 3:28 AMSupermoon356,740 km
Wolf MoonJan 22, 2027Fri, 2:17 PMSupermoon357,644 km
Snow MoonFeb 21, 2027Sun, 1:23 AMPenumbral lunar eclipse363,306 km
Worm MoonMar 22, 2027Mon, 12:43 PM372,525 km
Pink MoonApr 21, 2027Wed, 1:27 AM383,426 km
Flower MoonMay 20, 2027Thu, 1:58 PM393,901 km
Strawberry MoonJun 19, 2027Sat, 3:44 AM401,951 km
Buck MoonJul 18, 2027Sun, 6:44 PM405,973 km
Sturgeon MoonAug 17, 2027Tue, 10:28 AMPenumbral lunar eclipse405,078 km
Harvest MoonSep 16, 2027Thu, 2:03 AM399,356 km
Hunter's MoonOct 15, 2027Fri, 4:47 PM389,937 km

Every full moon, this year and next

Three questions about the moon.

Why does the full moon rise at sunset?
A full moon sits opposite the sun, so it comes up in the east as the sun goes down in the west and stays up all night. Each night after, it rises about fifty minutes later.
Is the phase the same everywhere on Earth?
Yes: the phase is a fact about the moon and the sun, not about you. What changes with your place is the clock time, when the moon rises and sets, and where it stands.
What is a supermoon?
A full moon near the closest point of the moon’s slightly oval orbit, nearer than about 363,000 km. It looks about seven percent wider than an average full moon.

The moon, on your wrist.

Sol for iPhone and Apple Watch is coming soon, with tonight’s moon, its rise and set, and the Sky tab’s view of where it stands. Leave your address for early access and one email when it ships.

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