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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 8Today | Waning Crescent | 21% | 1:02 AM | 5:10 PM | 9:05 AM · 78° |
| Sun, Aug 9 | Waning Crescent | 12% | 2:05 AM | 6:10 PM | 10:10 AM · 78° |
| Mon, Aug 10 | Waning Crescent | 6% | 3:19 AM | 6:59 PM | 11:14 AM · 75° |
| Tue, Aug 11 | New | 1% | 4:37 AM | 7:38 PM | 12:14 PM · 71° |
| Wed, Aug 12 | New | 0% | 5:55 AM | 8:09 PM | 1:09 PM · 66° |
| Thu, Aug 13 | New | 1% | 7:11 AM | 8:36 PM | 2:00 PM · 59° |
| Fri, Aug 14 | Waxing Crescent | 5% | 8:23 AM | 9:00 PM | 2:47 PM · 53° |
| Sat, Aug 15 | Waxing Crescent | 11% | 9:31 AM | 9:23 PM | 3:32 PM · 46° |
| Sun, Aug 16 | Waxing Crescent | 19% | 10:38 AM | 9:46 PM | 4:17 PM · 40° |
| Mon, Aug 17 | Waxing Crescent | 28% | 11:44 AM | 10:11 PM | 5:02 PM · 34° |
| Tue, Aug 18 | First Quarter | 37% | 12:49 PM | 10:40 PM | 5:48 PM · 30° |
| Wed, Aug 19 | First Quarter | 47% | 1:53 PM | 11:13 PM | 6:35 PM · 26° |
| Thu, Aug 20 | First Quarter | 56% | 2:54 PM | 11:52 PM | 7:25 PM · 23° |
| Fri, Aug 21 | First Quarter | 65% | 3:52 PM | - | 8:16 PM · 22° |
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 Sat, Aug 8
Tonight the moon over Denver is a Waning Crescent, 21% illuminated. It rises at 1:02 AM, is highest at 9:05 AM, sets at 5:10 PM, all in local time.
A thinning crescent appears in the east before sunrise. Evenings are effectively moonless and dark - prime time for the Milky Way - while dawn offers a delicate crescent for early shoots.
For direction, the moon climbs highest toward the south at 9:05 AM, peaking 78° 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 Sat, Aug 8, moonrise is at 1:02 AM and moonset is at 5:10 PM, 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 Sat, Aug 8 the moon is a Waning Crescent, 21% illuminated. The next full moon is Thu, Aug 27 and the next new moon is Wed, Aug 12.
- Is tonight a full moon in Denver?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waning Crescent at 21% illumination. The next full moon in Denver is Thu, Aug 27.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Denver tonight?
- The moon is highest at 9:05 AM, reaching 78° 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 63 minutes: 1:02 AM today versus 2:05 AM tomorrow.
