From central North America on April 12, 2021, the moon will be less than 24 hours old. On April 12 at sunset, as soon as the sun slips below the horizon, the race begins to spot a young moon, less than a day old … before it sets!

Find out when the next new moon, 1st quarter moon, full moon or last quarter moon will occur in 2021.

A waxing gibbous moon is in the sky when darkness falls. It lights up the early evening. It appears more than half lighted, but less than full.

The first quarter moon occurs halfway between new moon and full moon. One quarter of the moon is visible from Earth, meaning that you see half the daylit side of the moon.

A waning crescent moon can be found in the east before sunrise. It’s waning toward new moon, when the moon will be between Earth and the sun.

A waxing crescent moon shines in the west after sunset. It quickly follows the sun below the western horizon.

The last quarter moon appears a week after full moon and a week before new moon.

How can you understand what causes the various phases of the moon? Four tips, here.

New moons generally can’t be seen. They cross the sky with the sun during the day. The moon’s shadow side is toward Earth.

The full moon is opposite the sun in its orbit, so the sunlit day side of the moon is what you see.

The waning gibbous moon falls between full and last quarter. See it best from late night through early morning.

Read a list of the phases of the moon for all of 2021.

Half the moon always faces us. And half the moon is always lit by the sun. But, in the language of astronomers, there are no ‘half moons.’