Moon · Chicago
Moon in Chicago
A bright, fully-lit disc that works well for landscapes and moonrise shots.
Darkest skies, best for the Milky Way and astrophotography.
Moonrise & moonset in Chicago - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jul 4Today | Waning Gibbous | 80% | 11:11 PM | 9:48 AM | 4:14 AM · 37° |
| Sun, Jul 5 | Waning Gibbous | 72% | 11:31 PM | 10:54 AM | 4:57 AM · 43° |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Last Quarter | 62% | 11:52 PM | 12:00 PM | 5:40 AM · 49° |
| Tue, Jul 7 | Last Quarter | 51% | - | 1:09 PM | 6:24 AM · 56° |
| Wed, Jul 8 | Last Quarter | 40% | 12:15 AM | 2:22 PM | 7:11 AM · 62° |
| Thu, Jul 9 | Waning Crescent | 29% | 12:41 AM | 3:38 PM | 8:03 AM · 67° |
| Fri, Jul 10 | Waning Crescent | 19% | 1:15 AM | 4:57 PM | 9:00 AM · 72° |
| Sat, Jul 11 | Waning Crescent | 11% | 1:58 AM | 6:14 PM | 10:02 AM · 75° |
| Sun, Jul 12 | Waning Crescent | 4% | 2:55 AM | 7:23 PM | 11:09 AM · 76° |
| Mon, Jul 13 | New | 1% | 4:04 AM | 8:19 PM | 12:16 PM · 75° |
| Tue, Jul 14 | New | 0% | 5:24 AM | 9:02 PM | 1:20 PM · 72° |
| Wed, Jul 15 | New | 3% | 6:45 AM | 9:36 PM | 2:18 PM · 67° |
| Thu, Jul 16 | Waxing Crescent | 7% | 8:05 AM | 10:03 PM | 3:11 PM · 61° |
| Fri, Jul 17 | Waxing Crescent | 15% | 9:20 AM | 10:26 PM | 4:00 PM · 54° |
Times are local to Chicago. A dash means the event falls on a neighboring calendar day. “Highest” is the moon’s transit - its best viewing moment - with peak altitude above the horizon.
The moon over Chicago on Sat, Jul 4
Tonight the moon over Chicago is a Waning Gibbous, 80% illuminated. It rises at 11:11 PM, is highest at 4:14 AM, sets at 9:48 AM, all in local time.
The moon now rises well after sunset, leaving a stretch of dark evening sky before a bright late night. Plan star work early and moon work late.
For direction, the moon climbs highest toward the south at 4:14 AM, peaking 37° above the horizon. Like the sun, it rises on the eastern side of the sky and sets on the western side, with the exact bearing drifting through the month - the table above gives each day’s times so you can plan a specific alignment.
Frequently asked
- What time does the moon rise in Chicago today?
- In Chicago on Sat, Jul 4, moonrise is at 11:11 PM and moonset is at 9:48 AM, local time. Because the moon moves along its orbit each day, both shift roughly 30 to 70 minutes later from one day to the next.
- What phase is the moon tonight in Chicago?
- On Sat, Jul 4 the moon is a Waning Gibbous, 80% illuminated. The next full moon is Wed, Jul 29 and the next new moon is Tue, Jul 14.
- Is tonight a full moon in Chicago?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waning Gibbous at 80% illumination. The next full moon in Chicago is Wed, Jul 29.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Chicago tonight?
- The moon is highest at 4:14 AM, reaching 37° above the horizon toward the south. Around that time it clears buildings and haze best.
- Why does the moon rise later each night?
- The moon orbits Earth in about 29.5 days, moving roughly 12° eastward against the sky each day. Earth has to rotate that extra bit before the moon clears the horizon again, which delays moonrise by about 50 minutes on average - less near the equator, more at high latitudes. In Chicago right now the shift is about 20 minutes: 11:11 PM today versus 11:31 PM tomorrow.
