Moon · Nairobi
Moon in Nairobi
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 Nairobi - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Aug 9Today | Waning Crescent | 15% | 3:04 AM | 3:30 PM | 9:17 AM · 61° |
| Mon, Aug 10 | Waning Crescent | 8% | 4:09 AM | 4:34 PM | 10:22 AM · 62° |
| Tue, Aug 11 | New | 3% | 5:12 AM | 5:35 PM | 11:23 AM · 66° |
| Wed, Aug 12 | New | 0% | 6:09 AM | 6:32 PM | 12:21 PM · 71° |
| Thu, Aug 13 | New | 1% | 7:02 AM | 7:24 PM | 1:13 PM · 77° |
| Fri, Aug 14 | New | 4% | 7:51 AM | 8:12 PM | 2:01 PM · 84° |
| Sat, Aug 15 | Waxing Crescent | 9% | 8:37 AM | 8:58 PM | 2:47 PM · 90° |
| Sun, Aug 16 | Waxing Crescent | 16% | 9:21 AM | 9:43 PM | 3:32 PM · 83° |
| Mon, Aug 17 | Waxing Crescent | 24% | 10:05 AM | 10:29 PM | 4:17 PM · 77° |
| Tue, Aug 18 | First Quarter | 33% | 10:49 AM | 11:15 PM | 5:02 PM · 72° |
| Wed, Aug 19 | First Quarter | 43% | 11:36 AM | - | 5:49 PM · 68° |
| Thu, Aug 20 | First Quarter | 53% | 12:24 PM | 12:03 AM | 6:38 PM · 65° |
| Fri, Aug 21 | First Quarter | 62% | 1:13 PM | 12:53 AM | 7:29 PM · 64° |
| Sat, Aug 22 | Waxing Gibbous | 71% | 2:05 PM | 1:44 AM | 8:20 PM · 63° |
Times are local to Nairobi. 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 Nairobi on Sun, Aug 9
Tonight the moon over Nairobi is a Waning Crescent, 15% illuminated. It rises at 3:04 AM, is highest at 9:17 AM, sets at 3:30 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 north at 9:17 AM, peaking 61° 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 Nairobi today?
- In Nairobi on Sun, Aug 9, moonrise is at 3:04 AM and moonset is at 3:30 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 Nairobi?
- On Sun, Aug 9 the moon is a Waning Crescent, 15% illuminated. The next full moon is Fri, Aug 28 and the next new moon is Wed, Aug 12.
- Is tonight a full moon in Nairobi?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waning Crescent at 15% illumination. The next full moon in Nairobi is Fri, Aug 28.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Nairobi tonight?
- The moon is highest at 9:17 AM, reaching 61° above the horizon toward the north. 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 Nairobi right now the shift is about 65 minutes: 3:04 AM today versus 4:09 AM tomorrow.
