Moon · Queenstown
Moon in Queenstown
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 Queenstown - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Sep 25Today | Waxing Gibbous | 92% | 3:57 PM | 5:19 AM | 10:55 PM · 55° |
| Sat, Sep 26 | Full | 97% | 5:07 PM | 5:38 AM | 11:39 PM · 49° |
| Sun, Sep 27 | Full | 99% | 6:18 PM | 5:57 AM | - |
| Mon, Sep 28 | Full | 100% | 8:32 PM | 7:15 AM | 12:23 AM · 42° |
| Tue, Sep 29 | Full | 98% | 9:48 PM | 7:35 AM | 2:10 AM · 36° |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Waning Gibbous | 94% | 11:08 PM | 7:59 AM | 2:59 AM · 29° |
| Thu, Oct 1 | Waning Gibbous | 87% | - | 8:27 AM | 3:52 AM · 24° |
| Fri, Oct 2 | Waning Gibbous | 78% | 12:28 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:50 AM · 20° |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Last Quarter | 68% | 1:45 AM | 9:53 AM | 5:51 AM · 18° |
| Sun, Oct 4 | Last Quarter | 57% | 2:53 AM | 10:55 AM | 6:54 AM · 17° |
| Mon, Oct 5 | Last Quarter | 46% | 3:48 AM | 12:08 PM | 7:56 AM · 19° |
| Tue, Oct 6 | Last Quarter | 34% | 4:30 AM | 1:27 PM | 8:55 AM · 22° |
| Wed, Oct 7 | Waning Crescent | 24% | 5:02 AM | 2:46 PM | 9:49 AM · 27° |
| Thu, Oct 8 | Waning Crescent | 15% | 5:28 AM | 4:03 PM | 10:40 AM · 32° |
Times are local to Queenstown. 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 Queenstown on Fri, Sep 25
Tonight the moon over Queenstown is a Waxing Gibbous, 92% illuminated. It rises at 3:57 PM, is highest at 10:55 PM, sets at 5:19 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 north at 10:55 PM, peaking 55° 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 Queenstown today?
- In Queenstown on Fri, Sep 25, moonrise is at 3:57 PM and moonset is at 5:19 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 Queenstown?
- On Fri, Sep 25 the moon is a Waxing Gibbous, 92% illuminated. The next full moon is Mon, Sep 28 and the next new moon is Mon, Oct 12.
- Is tonight a full moon in Queenstown?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waxing Gibbous at 92% illumination. The next full moon in Queenstown is Mon, Sep 28.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Queenstown tonight?
- The moon is highest at 10:55 PM, reaching 55° 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 Queenstown right now the shift is about 70 minutes: 3:57 PM today versus 5:07 PM tomorrow.
