Moon · Sydney
Moon in Sydney
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 Sydney - next 14 days
| Date | Phase | Illum. | Moonrise | Moonset | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jul 4Today | Waning Gibbous | 85% | 8:54 PM | 9:37 AM | 2:50 AM · 71° |
| Sun, Jul 5 | Waning Gibbous | 77% | 9:53 PM | 10:04 AM | 3:33 AM · 65° |
| Mon, Jul 6 | Last Quarter | 68% | 10:54 PM | 10:30 AM | 4:16 AM · 59° |
| Tue, Jul 7 | Last Quarter | 58% | 11:56 PM | 10:56 AM | 4:59 AM · 53° |
| Wed, Jul 8 | Last Quarter | 47% | - | 11:24 AM | 5:44 AM · 47° |
| Thu, Jul 9 | Last Quarter | 36% | 1:02 AM | 11:56 AM | 6:33 AM · 41° |
| Fri, Jul 10 | Waning Crescent | 26% | 2:12 AM | 12:34 PM | 7:26 AM · 35° |
| Sat, Jul 11 | Waning Crescent | 16% | 3:25 AM | 1:21 PM | 8:25 AM · 31° |
| Sun, Jul 12 | Waning Crescent | 8% | 4:38 AM | 2:18 PM | 9:29 AM · 29° |
| Mon, Jul 13 | New | 3% | 5:48 AM | 3:26 PM | 10:36 AM · 28° |
| Tue, Jul 14 | New | 0% | 6:49 AM | 4:40 PM | 11:42 AM · 30° |
| Wed, Jul 15 | New | 1% | 7:39 AM | 5:56 PM | 12:45 PM · 34° |
| Thu, Jul 16 | Waxing Crescent | 4% | 8:20 AM | 7:10 PM | 1:41 PM · 40° |
| Fri, Jul 17 | Waxing Crescent | 10% | 8:54 AM | 8:19 PM | 2:33 PM · 46° |
Times are local to Sydney. 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 Sydney on Sat, Jul 4
Tonight the moon over Sydney is a Waning Gibbous, 85% illuminated. It rises at 8:54 PM, is highest at 2:50 AM, sets at 9:37 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 2:50 AM, peaking 71° 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 Sydney today?
- In Sydney on Sat, Jul 4, moonrise is at 8:54 PM and moonset is at 9:37 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 Sydney?
- On Sat, Jul 4 the moon is a Waning Gibbous, 85% illuminated. The next full moon is Thu, Jul 30 and the next new moon is Tue, Jul 14.
- Is tonight a full moon in Sydney?
- No. Tonight the moon is a Waning Gibbous at 85% illumination. The next full moon in Sydney is Thu, Jul 30.
- When is the best time to see the moon in Sydney tonight?
- The moon is highest at 2:50 AM, reaching 71° 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 Sydney right now the shift is about 60 minutes: 8:54 PM today versus 9:53 PM tomorrow.
