Lunar Calendar for Thursday, January 16, 2025
Moon in Leo · waning gibbous · lunar day 17
- 93% illuminated
- Element Fire
- Warm day
- 243,731 miles (392,247 km)
At , the Moon moves into Virgo.
Leo days bring confidence and a taste for bold moves. Obstacles look smaller, and courage comes more easily than usual. Watch for pride, which grows just as fast.
Waning gibbous
The Moon is still mostly lit, but the edge that brightened first is now fading. It rises later each evening and lingers into the morning sky. In lunar tradition, the waning weeks favor finishing, clearing, and letting go rather than starting something new.
On its monthly path across the sky, the Moon is now descending: seen from the Northern Hemisphere, each day it crosses the sky a little lower than the day before. In planting tradition, the descending Moon draws strength toward the roots—a time for planting, transplanting, and pruning.
Element of the day
- Element
- Fire
- Day character
- Warm
A warm fire day in Leo heats steadily—a good climate for big tasks and for work outdoors in the sun.
Lunar day 17
The seventeenth lunar day is a day of joy; allow yourself company and whatever truly pleases you.
Lunar days are counted from the new moon: day 1 begins at the new moon, and a cycle has 29 or 30 of them. Tradition gives each day its own character.
Health by lunar tradition
In lunar tradition, extra care goes to the heart, back, diaphragm, blood circulation, and arteries.
Under a waning Moon, rest serves the heart and back. Put your feet up, breathe slowly, and leave the hard training for another day.
On Leo days, the back tends to complain more, and gentle exercises help, tradition says.
A contrast shower, alternating warm and cool water, is an old folk custom.
January is short on daylight: step outside at midday for at least a quarter of an hour, since even a gray sky is far brighter than indoor light. Keep a regular sleep schedule, and look to food for vitamin D; the winter sun is too low to make much of it.
Food by lunar tradition
- Favored today
- Protein and fruit
Leo days are protein-and-fruit days in lunar tradition. Eggs, fish, lean meat, legumes, and nuts are the day’s staples, and fruit is the traditional pick-me-up. Keep portions moderate: tradition holds that the body feels protein more strongly today, for better and for worse.
Under a waning Moon, tradition keeps the evening meal light.
In lunar lore, the body switches from storing to spending after the full moon.
January cooking rests on the stored harvest: cabbage and sauerkraut, root vegetables, winter squash, apples, and nuts. Citrus is at its best now, and fermented vegetables add vitamin C of their own.
Reach for seasonal foods that suit the day: lentils, beans, and eggs.
Tip of the day: a bean spread or a lentil soup makes a filling meal of plant protein.
Garden by the moon
- Plant part
- Fruit
January in the garden belongs to planning: draw up the planting plan, order seeds, and check stored produce, discarding anything that has started to rot. Keep the bird feeders full. Prune apple and pear trees only on frost-free days; cuts heal poorly in a hard freeze.
Leo days are fruit days: tradition points the gardener to tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, berries, and the orchard. Leo is also the sign of warmth, so water well and mulch.
A waning Moon in winter favors houseplants: repot them, remove dry leaves, and in the cellar you can prepare rootstocks and scions for grafting.
This is the time to harvest kale and Brussels sprouts.
Seasonal advice is for the Northern Hemisphere’s temperate zone; south of the equator, swap the seasons. For the best days of the month, see planting by the moon and the lunar hair calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What moon is January 16th?
On January 16, 2025, the Moon was waning gibbous, 93% lit, in the sign of Leo. It was day 17 of the lunar cycle.
Is January 16, 2025 a full moon?
No. On January 16, 2025, the Moon was waning gibbous. The nearest full moon after that date was February 12, 2025.
What day is the full moon in January 2025?
The full moon in January 2025 was the Wolf Moon on January 13, 2025, at 10:27 PM UTC.
The whole month day by day: lunar calendar January 2025; the whole year at a glance: lunar calendar 2025. Full moon in January 2025 · New moon in January 2025