Waxing Gibbous Moon
More than half lit and filling out toward the full moon; it dominates the late-evening sky.
The next waxing gibbous moon runs from November 18, 2026, to November 23, 2026. The phase most often mistaken for a full moon.
- 🌔 Waxing gibbous
- From 51% to 99% lit
What the waxing gibbous moon looks like
A bulging disk with a curved shadow on its left side as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, on its right from the Southern. The word gibbous comes from the Latin for hump. In the last day or two before the full moon the disk looks round to the eye, and many people take it for a full moon.
When and where to see it
The waxing gibbous Moon rises in the afternoon, stands high in the sky by late evening, and sets after midnight. It is the Moon that lights a late walk home.
Illumination and timing
From 51% to 99% lit, roughly days 9 to 14 of the lunar cycle, about six and a half days.
Next waxing gibbous moon dates
| From | To | Illumination | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Nov 18, 2026 | Mon, Nov 23, 2026 | 60% to 98% | day |
| Fri, Dec 18, 2026 | Wed, Dec 23, 2026 | 63% to 99% | day |
| Sat, Jan 16, 2027 | Thu, Jan 21, 2027 | 57% to 98% | day |
| Mon, Feb 15, 2027 | Fri, Feb 19, 2027 | 63% to 97% | day |
All dates are in UTC; each daily page shows the Moon’s exact illumination, sign, and the day’s traditions.
The waxing gibbous moon in lunar tradition
In gardening tradition the days before a full moon finish the sowing of above-ground crops and are good for gathering herbs, which are said to hold the most flavor now. In hair tradition they are the last growth days before the full moon rest day.
Tradition reads the waxing gibbous as a phase of refining and finishing, the final push before the peak.
- 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 waxing gibbous moon mean?
Tradition reads the waxing gibbous as a phase of refining and finishing, the final push before the peak. In gardening tradition the days before a full moon finish the sowing of above-ground crops and are good for gathering herbs, which are said to hold the most flavor now. In hair tradition they are the last growth days before the full moon rest day.
When is the next waxing gibbous moon?
The next waxing gibbous phase runs from November 18, 2026, to November 23, 2026. Each daily page shows the exact illumination and the Moon’s sign for that date.
How long does the waxing gibbous phase last?
From 51% to 99% lit, roughly days 9 to 14 of the lunar cycle, about six and a half days.
When does the waxing gibbous moon rise and set?
The waxing gibbous Moon rises in the afternoon, stands high in the sky by late evening, and sets after midnight. It is the Moon that lights a late walk home.