Lunar Calendar for Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Moon in Cancer · waning crescent · lunar day 27
- 9% illuminated
- Element Water
- Wet day
- 234,677 miles (377,676 km)
At , the Moon moves into Leo.
Cancer days turn feelings inward and deepen them. Home, family, and memory draw more than the world outside. Moods shift quickly, so take things less personally today.
Waning crescent
Only a crescent remains, visible in the eastern sky before sunrise. The lunar cycle is closing. In lunar tradition, these quiet days suit rest and wrapping up—the next new moon is near.
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
- Water
- Day character
- Wet
A wet water day in Cancer is calm and receptive; plants enjoy the moisture, and the body asks for fluids.
Lunar day 27
The twenty-seventh lunar day brings calm and insight; it suits a slow pace and undemanding activities.
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 chest, breasts, lungs, stomach, liver, and gallbladder.
Under a waning Moon, the stomach and liver appreciate rest and light meals. Tradition names this a good day to take care of the chest and breasts.
Cancer days belong to the chest and the digestion. Tradition holds that alcohol and tobacco weigh on the body more than usual now, and that a late night costs more the next morning. Eat lightly and slowly.
Skip very fatty and fried dishes today; the liver is more sensitive than usual, tradition says.
August is still warm, but the evenings cool down; change into dry clothes quickly after swimming. Ease the vacation sleep schedule back gradually, since the body adjusts slowly.
Food by lunar tradition
- Favored today
- Carbohydrates and starches
Cancer days are starch days in lunar tradition, which also asks for care from anyone with a sensitive gallbladder. Bread, potatoes, rice, and pasta are said to sit well with most people today, though some feel bloated after a small portion.
With the Moon waning, tradition favors potatoes and rice over pastries.
In lunar lore, the last days before the new moon prepare the body for a new cycle.
August is the richest month of the year: tomatoes, peppers, melons, plums, the first apples, and corn. Eat what has just ripened; seasonal and local tastes best.
Reach for seasonal foods that suit the day: corn, potatoes, and pasta with tomato sauce.
Tip of the day: brown rice or whole-wheat pasta instead of white; on a carbohydrate day, slow, steady energy is welcome.
Garden by the moon
- Plant part
- Leaf
August is the month of harvest and preserving: tomatoes, peppers, plums, and early apples ripen, and the onions are ready to pull. Plant strawberries, and sow spinach, corn salad, and fall radishes. Late summer is also the time to bud-graft roses and fruit trees.
Leaves are gathered in the morning once the dew has dried.
The traditional day for nettle leaves; nettle tea is said to be at its best now. Not a day for picking fruit or for laying out beds and paths.
Cancer days are leaf days: lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, and cabbage get the attention, and watering counts for more than usual. Herbalists gather leaves of herbs for the chest, stomach, and liver on Cancer days.
Sow and plant everything that bears below ground.
Transplant seedlings and prune trees and shrubs.
A waning Moon is said to strengthen roots, so focus on fall radishes.
On leaf days the leafy vegetables and herbs ask for attention: corn salad and spinach.
Harvest time: this month belongs to crops such as plums, early apples, and onions.
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 August 20th?
On August 20, 2025, the Moon was a waning crescent, 9% lit, in the sign of Cancer. It was day 27 of the lunar cycle.
Is August 20, 2025 a full moon?
No. On August 20, 2025, the Moon was a waning crescent. The nearest full moon after that date was September 7, 2025.
What day is the full moon in August 2025?
The full moon in August 2025 was the Sturgeon Moon on August 9, 2025, at 7:55 AM UTC.
The whole month day by day: lunar calendar August 2025; the whole year at a glance: lunar calendar 2025. Full moon in August 2025 · New moon in August 2025