The Moon is 58% Lit Tonight: A Guide to Spotting Apollo 11’s Landing Site
The moon is 58% illuminated tonight, Dec 28, 2025. Learn how to spot the Apollo 11 landing site and Tycho Crater during this Waxing Gibbous phase.
Look up tonight and you'll catch the moon in its striking Waxing Gibbous phase. As of Sunday, Dec. 28, roughly 58% of the lunar surface is illuminated by sunlight. According to NASA, we’re just a few days away from a full display, but tonight offers a unique opportunity to see the moon's rugged terrain in high definition.
What to Spot: From Naked Eye to Telescope
You don't need fancy gear to start your lunar tour. With just your naked eye, you can identify the dark lunar plains known as Mares and the prominent Tycho Crater. However, grabbing a pair of binoculars or a telescope reveals a whole new world.
Tracking the 29.5-Day Lunar Cycle
It takes the moon about 29.5 days to orbit the Earth and complete its cycle of eight main phases. After the last full moon on Dec. 4, the moon has been gradually gaining light. The next milestone is the Full Moon, which will light up the sky on Jan. 3.
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