The Phases of the Moon
The phase of the moon is important for two reasons. First of all you want to know the phase because it will help you in your viewing of the moon itself and secondly the phase of the moon has a dramatic impact on your other viewing of night sky objects. A full moon is extraordinarily bright and it will greatly inhibit your ability to see other night sky objects so ideally when you are hunting for planets, comets, nebulae or galaxies you want to have no moon at all or at least the smallest phase possible.
Here is the current phase of the moon for your Hemisphere.
Northern Hemisphere |
Southern Hemisphere |
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