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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Sep 24Today | Waxing Gibbous | 96% | 5:46 PM | 4:20 AM | 11:31 PM · 43° |
| Fri, Sep 25 | Full | 99% | 6:07 PM | 5:27 AM | - |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Full | 100% | 6:29 PM | 6:36 AM | 12:16 AM · 49° |
| Sun, Sep 27 | Full | 99% | 6:52 PM | 7:47 AM | 1:01 AM · 56° |
| Mon, Sep 28 | Waning Gibbous | 95% | 7:19 PM | 9:01 AM | 1:50 AM · 62° |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Waning Gibbous | 89% | 7:53 PM | 10:18 AM | 2:42 AM · 68° |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Waning Gibbous | 81% | 8:35 PM | 11:35 AM | 3:38 AM · 72° |
| Thu, Oct 1 | Waning Gibbous | 71% | 9:28 PM | 12:48 PM | 4:38 AM · 75° |
| Fri, Oct 2 | Last Quarter | 60% | 10:32 PM | 1:54 PM | 5:41 AM · 76° |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Last Quarter | 48% | 11:45 PM | 2:47 PM | 6:43 AM · 75° |
| Sun, Oct 4 | Last Quarter | 37% | - | 3:30 PM | 7:43 AM · 72° |
| Mon, Oct 5 | Waning Crescent | 27% | 1:01 AM | 4:03 PM | 8:39 AM · 68° |
| Tue, Oct 6 | Waning Crescent | 17% | 2:17 AM | 4:31 PM | 9:31 AM · 63° |
| Wed, Oct 7 | Waning Crescent | 10% | 3:31 AM | 4:54 PM | 10:19 AM · 56° |
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 Thu, Sep 24
Tonight the moon over Chicago is a Waxing Gibbous, 96% illuminated. It rises at 5:46 PM, is highest at 11:31 PM, sets at 4:20 AM, all in local time.
The moon is bright for most of the evening, washing out faint stars but lighting up foregrounds. Good for moonlit landscapes; less good for astrophotography.
For direction, the moon climbs highest toward the south at 11:31 PM, peaking 43° 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 Thu, Sep 24, moonrise is at 5:46 PM and moonset is at 4:20 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 Thu, Sep 24 the moon is a Waxing Gibbous, 96% illuminated. The next full moon is Sat, Sep 26 and the next new moon is Sat, Oct 10.
- Is tonight a full moon in Chicago?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 96% illumination. The next full moon in Chicago is Sat, Sep 26.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Chicago tonight?
- The moon is highest at 11:31 PM, reaching 43° 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 21 minutes: 5:46 PM today versus 6:07 PM tomorrow.
