Moon · San Francisco
Moon in San Francisco
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 San Francisco - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 8Today | Waning Crescent | 21% | 1:22 AM | 5:15 PM | 9:18 AM · 80° |
| Sun, Aug 9 | Waning Crescent | 12% | 2:26 AM | 6:15 PM | 10:23 AM · 80° |
| Mon, Aug 10 | Waning Crescent | 5% | 3:39 AM | 7:04 PM | 11:27 AM · 77° |
| Tue, Aug 11 | New | 1% | 4:56 AM | 7:44 PM | 12:26 PM · 73° |
| Wed, Aug 12 | New | 0% | 6:13 AM | 8:17 PM | 1:21 PM · 67° |
| Thu, Aug 13 | New | 2% | 7:27 AM | 8:45 PM | 2:12 PM · 61° |
| Fri, Aug 14 | Waxing Crescent | 6% | 8:36 AM | 9:10 PM | 2:59 PM · 54° |
| Sat, Aug 15 | Waxing Crescent | 12% | 9:44 AM | 9:35 PM | 3:44 PM · 48° |
| Sun, Aug 16 | Waxing Crescent | 19% | 10:49 AM | 10:00 PM | 4:29 PM · 41° |
| Mon, Aug 17 | Waxing Crescent | 28% | 11:53 AM | 10:27 PM | 5:13 PM · 36° |
| Tue, Aug 18 | First Quarter | 37% | 12:56 PM | 10:56 PM | 6:00 PM · 31° |
| Wed, Aug 19 | First Quarter | 47% | 1:59 PM | 11:31 PM | 6:47 PM · 28° |
| Thu, Aug 20 | First Quarter | 57% | 3:00 PM | - | 7:37 PM · 25° |
| Fri, Aug 21 | First Quarter | 66% | 3:57 PM | 12:12 AM | 8:28 PM · 24° |
Times are local to San Francisco. 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 San Francisco on Sat, Aug 8
Tonight the moon over San Francisco is a Waning Crescent, 21% illuminated. It rises at 1:22 AM, is highest at 9:18 AM, sets at 5:15 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 9:18 AM, peaking 80° 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 San Francisco today?
- In San Francisco on Sat, Aug 8, moonrise is at 1:22 AM and moonset is at 5:15 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 San Francisco?
- 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 San Francisco?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waning Crescent at 21% illumination. The next full moon in San Francisco is Thu, Aug 27.
- When is the best time to see the moon in San Francisco tonight?
- The moon is highest at 9:18 AM, reaching 80° 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 San Francisco right now the shift is about 64 minutes: 1:22 AM today versus 2:26 AM tomorrow.
