Waning Crescent Moon: When and Where to See It This Week

The waning crescent Moon will be visible in the early morning sky this week, from September 7 through September 10, as it nears the end of its roughly 29.5-day cycle.

The Moon passed its Third Quarter phase on September 4 and will continue losing its illuminated portion until the New Moon at 11:27 p.m. EDT on Thursday, September 10. In parts of the world, time-zone differences will place the New Moon on September 11.

For viewers in the United States, the best opportunity comes before sunrise. Look toward the eastern sky, where the crescent will become progressively thinner as it moves closer to the Sun in the sky. Exact rising and setting times will vary between cities. On September 8, the Moon will appear close to Jupiter, creating a notable pairing in the morning sky.

The waning crescent is the final lunar phase before the New Moon. It begins after the Third Quarter, when about half the Moon is illuminated, and ends with only a narrow sliver visible. Unlike a Full Moon, it generally rises after midnight and remains visible into the morning before setting in the afternoon.

The apparent thinning occurs because the Moon’s position relative to Earth and the Sun changes. Sunlight still illuminates half of the Moon, but observers on Earth see less of that sunlit half as the Moon approaches the New Moon. Sometimes sunlight reflected from Earth faintly lights the darker portion of the lunar disk, an effect known as earthshine or the Da Vinci glow.