Moon · Seattle
Moon in Seattle
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 Seattle - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 8Today | Waning Crescent | 21% | 12:36 AM | 6:02 PM | 9:17 AM · 70° |
| Sun, Aug 9 | Waning Crescent | 12% | 1:39 AM | 6:58 PM | 10:22 AM · 70° |
| Mon, Aug 10 | Waning Crescent | 5% | 2:56 AM | 7:40 PM | 11:26 AM · 67° |
| Tue, Aug 11 | New | 1% | 4:22 AM | 8:11 PM | 12:26 PM · 63° |
| Wed, Aug 12 | New | 0% | 5:49 AM | 8:34 PM | 1:21 PM · 57° |
| Thu, Aug 13 | New | 2% | 7:12 AM | 8:53 PM | 2:11 PM · 51° |
| Fri, Aug 14 | Waxing Crescent | 6% | 8:31 AM | 9:10 PM | 2:59 PM · 44° |
| Sat, Aug 15 | Waxing Crescent | 12% | 9:47 AM | 9:26 PM | 3:44 PM · 38° |
| Sun, Aug 16 | Waxing Crescent | 19% | 11:01 AM | 9:43 PM | 4:28 PM · 32° |
| Mon, Aug 17 | Waxing Crescent | 28% | 12:14 PM | 10:02 PM | 5:13 PM · 26° |
| Tue, Aug 18 | First Quarter | 37% | 1:26 PM | 10:24 PM | 5:59 PM · 22° |
| Wed, Aug 19 | First Quarter | 47% | 2:36 PM | 10:51 PM | 6:47 PM · 18° |
| Thu, Aug 20 | First Quarter | 57% | 3:43 PM | 11:27 PM | 7:37 PM · 15° |
| Fri, Aug 21 | First Quarter | 66% | 4:43 PM | - | 8:28 PM · 14° |
Times are local to Seattle. 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 Seattle on Sat, Aug 8
Tonight the moon over Seattle is a Waning Crescent, 21% illuminated. It rises at 12:36 AM, is highest at 9:17 AM, sets at 6:02 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 9:17 AM, peaking 70° 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 Seattle today?
- In Seattle on Sat, Aug 8, moonrise is at 12:36 AM and moonset is at 6:02 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 Seattle?
- 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 Seattle?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waning Crescent at 21% illumination. The next full moon in Seattle is Thu, Aug 27.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Seattle tonight?
- The moon is highest at 9:17 AM, reaching 70° 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 Seattle right now the shift is about 63 minutes: 12:36 AM today versus 1:39 AM tomorrow.
