Last Quarter Moon
Half lit again, three weeks into the cycle; the Moon rises around midnight and is up through the morning.
The next last quarter moon is on . The half moon most people never see at night: It rises around midnight.
- 🌗 Last quarter
- 50% lit
What the last quarter moon looks like
Half the disk is lit: the left half as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, the right half from the Southern. It is the mirror image of the first quarter, and the long shadows along the terminator return, now on the other side.
When and where to see it
The last quarter Moon rises around midnight, stands highest around sunrise, and sets around noon. Most people never see it in a dark sky: It belongs to the small hours and the morning.
Illumination and timing
50% lit, an exact moment about 22 days after the new moon; the Moon has completed three quarters of its orbit, which is why it is also called the third quarter.
Next last quarter moon dates
All times are UTC; each daily page shows the Moon’s exact illumination, sign, and the day’s traditions.
The last quarter moon in lunar tradition
In gardening tradition the days around the last quarter are for transplanting, pruning, and root crops. In hair tradition a cut now is said to hold its shape, and the Moon in Leo or Virgo during these days is the classic appointment.
Tradition reads the last quarter as a phase of review and letting go, clearing the way for the next new 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 last quarter moon mean?
Tradition reads the last quarter as a phase of review and letting go, clearing the way for the next new moon. In gardening tradition the days around the last quarter are for transplanting, pruning, and root crops. In hair tradition a cut now is said to hold its shape, and the Moon in Leo or Virgo during these days is the classic appointment.
When is the next last quarter moon?
The next last quarter is on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 6:09 AM UTC, with the Moon in Virgo. The one after that is on December 30, 2026.
How long does the last quarter phase last?
50% lit, an exact moment about 22 days after the new moon; the Moon has completed three quarters of its orbit, which is why it is also called the third quarter.
When does the last quarter moon rise and set?
The last quarter Moon rises around midnight, stands highest around sunrise, and sets around noon. Most people never see it in a dark sky: It belongs to the small hours and the morning.