Moon · London
Moon in London
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 London - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Sep 24Today | Waxing Gibbous | 94% | 6:03 PM | 3:55 AM | 11:30 PM · 32° |
| Fri, Sep 25 | Full | 98% | 6:15 PM | 5:12 AM | - |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Full | 100% | 6:27 PM | 6:31 AM | 12:15 AM · 38° |
| Sun, Sep 27 | Full | 99% | 6:40 PM | 7:52 AM | 1:00 AM · 45° |
| Mon, Sep 28 | Waning Gibbous | 96% | 6:56 PM | 9:15 AM | 1:48 AM · 51° |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Waning Gibbous | 91% | 7:17 PM | 10:43 AM | 2:39 AM · 57° |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Waning Gibbous | 83% | 7:47 PM | 12:11 PM | 3:34 AM · 62° |
| Thu, Oct 1 | Waning Gibbous | 73% | 8:30 PM | 1:34 PM | 4:33 AM · 65° |
| Fri, Oct 2 | Last Quarter | 63% | 9:30 PM | 2:45 PM | 5:35 AM · 66° |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Last Quarter | 51% | 10:47 PM | 3:37 PM | 6:38 AM · 66° |
| Sun, Oct 4 | Last Quarter | 40% | - | 4:13 PM | 7:39 AM · 64° |
| Mon, Oct 5 | Waning Crescent | 29% | 12:12 AM | 4:38 PM | 8:36 AM · 60° |
| Tue, Oct 6 | Waning Crescent | 20% | 1:40 AM | 4:56 PM | 9:29 AM · 54° |
| Wed, Oct 7 | Waning Crescent | 12% | 3:05 AM | 5:11 PM | 10:18 AM · 48° |
Times are local to London. 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 London on Thu, Sep 24
Tonight the moon over London is a Waxing Gibbous, 94% illuminated. It rises at 6:03 PM, is highest at 11:30 PM, sets at 3:55 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 11:30 PM, peaking 32° 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 London today?
- In London on Thu, Sep 24, moonrise is at 6:03 PM and moonset is at 3:55 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 London?
- On Thu, Sep 24 the moon is a Waxing Gibbous, 94% illuminated. The next full moon is Sat, Sep 26 and the next new moon is Sat, Oct 10.
- Is tonight a full moon in London?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 94% illumination. The next full moon in London is Sat, Sep 26.
- When is the best time to see the moon in London tonight?
- The moon is highest at 11:30 PM, reaching 32° 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 London right now the shift is about 12 minutes: 6:03 PM today versus 6:15 PM tomorrow.
