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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Jul 5Today | Waning Gibbous | 86% | 9:26 PM | 10:44 AM | 3:38 AM · 60° |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Waning Gibbous | 78% | 10:34 PM | 11:03 AM | 4:21 AM · 54° |
| Tue, Jul 7 | Last Quarter | 69% | 11:43 PM | 11:21 AM | 5:04 AM · 48° |
| Wed, Jul 8 | Last Quarter | 59% | - | 11:39 AM | 5:47 AM · 42° |
| Thu, Jul 9 | Last Quarter | 48% | 12:54 AM | 11:58 AM | 6:32 AM · 36° |
| Fri, Jul 10 | Last Quarter | 37% | 2:09 AM | 12:21 PM | 7:20 AM · 30° |
| Sat, Jul 11 | Waning Crescent | 26% | 3:28 AM | 12:49 PM | 8:13 AM · 24° |
| Sun, Jul 12 | Waning Crescent | 17% | 4:50 AM | 1:27 PM | 9:12 AM · 20° |
| Mon, Jul 13 | Waning Crescent | 9% | 6:11 AM | 2:18 PM | 10:16 AM · 18° |
| Tue, Jul 14 | New | 3% | 7:22 AM | 3:25 PM | 11:23 AM · 17° |
| Wed, Jul 15 | New | 0% | 8:20 AM | 4:45 PM | 12:29 PM · 19° |
| Thu, Jul 16 | New | 1% | 9:03 AM | 6:10 PM | 1:32 PM · 23° |
| Fri, Jul 17 | New | 4% | 9:35 AM | 7:34 PM | 2:29 PM · 28° |
| Sat, Jul 18 | Waxing Crescent | 9% | 10:00 AM | 8:53 PM | 3:20 PM · 34° |
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 Sun, Jul 5
Tonight the moon over Queenstown is a Waning Gibbous, 86% illuminated. It rises at 9:26 PM, is highest at 3:38 AM, sets at 10:44 AM, all in local time.
The moon now rises well after sunset, leaving a stretch of dark evening sky before a bright late night. Plan star work early and moon work late.
For direction, the moon climbs highest toward the north at 3:38 AM, peaking 60° 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 Sun, Jul 5, moonrise is at 9:26 PM and moonset is at 10:44 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 Sun, Jul 5 the moon is a Waning Gibbous, 86% illuminated. The next full moon is Fri, Jul 31 and the next new moon is Wed, Jul 15.
- Is tonight a full moon in Queenstown?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waning Gibbous at 86% illumination. The next full moon in Queenstown is Fri, Jul 31.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Queenstown tonight?
- The moon is highest at 3:38 AM, reaching 60° 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 68 minutes: 9:26 PM today versus 10:34 PM tomorrow.
