Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on October 26, 2026
See the Moon phase expected for October 26, 2026 as well as when the next Full Moon is expected.
The Full Moon reaches its peak on October 26 just after midnight in ET, meaning some parts of the US will see it become full just after midnight, while others will experience the peak on the evening of October 25.
If you want to spot some lunar features on the Moon's surface, here's what you might be able to see.
What is today's Moon phase?
As of Monday, Oct. 26, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Full Moon phase, with 100% of its surface visible.
Tonight, without the use of visual aids you should be able to spot the Copernicus Crater, Tycho Crater, and the Mare Crisium. If you have binoculars you'll also see the Endymion Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Grimaldi Basin. Finally, if you have a telescope, you'll also see the Apollo 15 and 16 landing spots, and the Caucasus Mountains.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on November 24.
What are Moon phases?
The Moon takes around 29.5 days to travel around Earth, and its appearance changes throughout the month. As it moves around our planet, we see different amounts of its sunlit side, from a slim crescent to the quarter phases and eventually a Full Moon. It then begins the cycle again. As NASA explains, these phases are caused by the Moon's changing position relative to Earth and the Sun.
The eight phases are:
New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it's not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
