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, Jul 4Today | Waning Gibbous | 80% | 11:29 PM | 10:18 AM | 4:37 AM · 42° |
| Sun, Jul 5 | Waning Gibbous | 71% | 11:52 PM | 11:21 AM | 5:20 AM · 48° |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Last Quarter | 61% | - | 12:24 PM | 6:03 AM · 54° |
| Tue, Jul 7 | Last Quarter | 50% | 12:16 AM | 1:30 PM | 6:48 AM · 60° |
| Wed, Jul 8 | Last Quarter | 39% | 12:43 AM | 2:40 PM | 7:35 AM · 67° |
| Thu, Jul 9 | Waning Crescent | 29% | 1:13 AM | 3:53 PM | 8:27 AM · 72° |
| Fri, Jul 10 | Waning Crescent | 19% | 1:51 AM | 5:09 PM | 9:25 AM · 77° |
| Sat, Jul 11 | Waning Crescent | 10% | 2:38 AM | 6:24 PM | 10:28 AM · 79° |
| Sun, Jul 12 | Waning Crescent | 4% | 3:37 AM | 7:31 PM | 11:35 AM · 80° |
| Mon, Jul 13 | New | 1% | 4:48 AM | 8:28 PM | 12:41 PM · 79° |
| Tue, Jul 14 | New | 0% | 6:05 AM | 9:13 PM | 1:45 PM · 75° |
| Wed, Jul 15 | New | 3% | 7:23 AM | 9:50 PM | 2:43 PM · 70° |
| Thu, Jul 16 | Waxing Crescent | 8% | 8:38 AM | 10:20 PM | 3:35 PM · 64° |
| Fri, Jul 17 | Waxing Crescent | 15% | 9:49 AM | 10:46 PM | 4:23 PM · 58° |
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, Jul 4
Tonight the moon over San Francisco is a Waning Gibbous, 80% illuminated. It rises at 11:29 PM, is highest at 4:37 AM, sets at 10:18 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 south at 4:37 AM, peaking 42° 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, Jul 4, moonrise is at 11:29 PM and moonset is at 10:18 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 San Francisco?
- On Sat, Jul 4 the moon is a Waning Gibbous, 80% illuminated. The next full moon is Wed, Jul 29 and the next new moon is Tue, Jul 14.
- Is tonight a full moon in San Francisco?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waning Gibbous at 80% illumination. The next full moon in San Francisco is Wed, Jul 29.
- When is the best time to see the moon in San Francisco tonight?
- The moon is highest at 4:37 AM, reaching 42° 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 23 minutes: 11:29 PM today versus 11:52 PM tomorrow.
