Tonight's moon phase is the Last Quarter (also called Third Quarter) phase. The Moon is about 44% illuminated, and it appears three-quarters of the way through its orbit around the Earth. For observers in the northern hemisphere, the left side of the Moon will be lit, while in the southern hemisphere, the right side will be illuminated. The Moon rises around midnight and sets around noon the next day. This phase marks the transition towards the New Moon, with illumination decreasing each night after tonight. The Moon is about 22.7 days old in its lunar cycle tonight. So, you can expect to see a half-lit crescent moon, with the illuminated part shrinking as it approaches the New Moon phase in about a week.
