Moon · Denver
Moon in Denver
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 Denver - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, Sep 23Today | Waxing Gibbous | 91% | 5:31 PM | 3:30 AM | 10:59 PM · 39° |
| Thu, Sep 24 | Waxing Gibbous | 96% | 5:55 PM | 4:35 AM | 11:43 PM · 45° |
| Fri, Sep 25 | Full | 99% | 6:17 PM | 5:41 AM | - |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Full | 100% | 6:41 PM | 6:48 AM | 12:27 AM · 52° |
| Sun, Sep 27 | Full | 99% | 7:06 PM | 7:57 AM | 1:13 AM · 58° |
| Mon, Sep 28 | Waning Gibbous | 95% | 7:35 PM | 9:10 AM | 2:01 AM · 64° |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Waning Gibbous | 88% | 8:11 PM | 10:24 AM | 2:54 AM · 70° |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Waning Gibbous | 80% | 8:55 PM | 11:40 AM | 3:50 AM · 74° |
| Thu, Oct 1 | Waning Gibbous | 70% | 9:49 PM | 12:52 PM | 4:50 AM · 77° |
| Fri, Oct 2 | Last Quarter | 59% | 10:54 PM | 1:57 PM | 5:53 AM · 78° |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Last Quarter | 48% | - | 2:51 PM | 6:56 AM · 77° |
| Sun, Oct 4 | Last Quarter | 37% | 12:06 AM | 3:34 PM | 7:55 AM · 74° |
| Mon, Oct 5 | Waning Crescent | 26% | 1:21 AM | 4:09 PM | 8:51 AM · 70° |
| Tue, Oct 6 | Waning Crescent | 17% | 2:35 AM | 4:38 PM | 9:43 AM · 64° |
Times are local to Denver. 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 Denver on Wed, Sep 23
Tonight the moon over Denver is a Waxing Gibbous, 91% illuminated. It rises at 5:31 PM, is highest at 10:59 PM, sets at 3:30 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 10:59 PM, peaking 39° 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 Denver today?
- In Denver on Wed, Sep 23, moonrise is at 5:31 PM and moonset is at 3:30 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 Denver?
- On Wed, Sep 23 the moon is a Waxing Gibbous, 91% illuminated. The next full moon is Sat, Sep 26 and the next new moon is Sat, Oct 10.
- Is tonight a full moon in Denver?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 91% illumination. The next full moon in Denver is Sat, Sep 26.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Denver tonight?
- The moon is highest at 10:59 PM, reaching 39° 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 Denver right now the shift is about 23 minutes: 5:31 PM today versus 5:55 PM tomorrow.
