First Quarter Moon
Half of the disk is lit about a week after the new moon; the Moon is up in the afternoon and evening.
The next first quarter moon is on . Long shadows along the terminator: the best night of the cycle for a telescope.
- 🌓 First quarter
- 50% lit
What the first quarter moon looks like
Exactly half the disk is lit: the right half in the Northern Hemisphere, the left half in the Southern. Along the straight edge between light and dark—the terminator—craters and mountains throw long shadows, which makes this the best phase for binoculars or a small telescope.
When and where to see it
The first quarter Moon rises around noon, stands highest around sunset, and sets around midnight. It is the evening Moon: in the south at dusk as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, in the north as seen from the Southern.
Illumination and timing
50% lit, an exact moment about 7.4 days after the new moon. The Moon has completed the first quarter of its orbit, which is where the name comes from, not from how much of it is lit.
Next first quarter moon dates
All times are UTC; each daily page shows the Moon’s exact illumination, sign, and the day’s traditions.
The first quarter moon in lunar tradition
In gardening tradition the days around the first quarter are still sowing time for leafy and fruiting crops, and in hair tradition still growth days. Tradition treats the first quarter as a checkpoint: What was started at the new moon gets its first test.
A phase of decisions and adjustment in the tradition, halfway between the fresh start and the full moon.
- Planting by the moon
What to sow and plant in this phase
- Lunar hair calendar
Whether a cut in this phase grows fast or holds
- Moon sign today
The sign adds the day type to the phase
Frequently asked questions
What does a first quarter moon mean?
A phase of decisions and adjustment in the tradition, halfway between the fresh start and the full moon. In gardening tradition the days around the first quarter are still sowing time for leafy and fruiting crops, and in hair tradition still growth days. Tradition treats the first quarter as a checkpoint: What was started at the new moon gets its first test.
When is the next first quarter moon?
The next first quarter is on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 11:48 AM UTC, with the Moon in Aquarius. The one after that is on December 17, 2026.
How long does the first quarter phase last?
50% lit, an exact moment about 7.4 days after the new moon. The Moon has completed the first quarter of its orbit, which is where the name comes from, not from how much of it is lit.
When does the first quarter moon rise and set?
The first quarter Moon rises around noon, stands highest around sunset, and sets around midnight. It is the evening Moon: in the south at dusk as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, in the north as seen from the Southern.