WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

The Moon today is in a Waning Crescent phase. In this phase the Moon’s illumination is growing smaller each day until the New Moon. During this phase the Moon is getting closer to the Sun as viewed from Earth and the night side of the Moon is facing the Earth with only a small edge of the Moon being illuminated. This phase is best viewed an hour or 2 before the sunrise and can be quite beautiful if you're willing to get up early. It can also be a great time to see the features of the Moon's surface. Along the edge where the illuminated portion meets the dark side, the craters and mountains cast long shadows making them easier to observe with a telescope or binoculars.

PHASE DETAILS FOR - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

Phase: Waning Crescent
Illumination: 34%
Moon Age: 23.71 days
Moon Angle: 0.55
Moon Distance: 363,435.71 km
Sun Angle: 0.53
Sun Distance: 151,461,696.08 km