Moon 1st Quarter

[ilan]

1st quarter moon is May 29-30
Deborah Byrd in MOON PHASES | May 27, 2020

The 1st quarter moon happens on May 30, 2020, at 03:31 UTC. As viewed from anywhere on Earth, a 1st quarter moon is at its highest in the sky at sunset, looking like half a pie.​

Composite image of a moon nearly at 1st quarter with some of the features you can see on the moon at this phase – captured April 30, 2020 – by our friend Dr Ski in the Philippines. He wrote: “… 10 hours before 1st quarter and the Lunar V and Lunar X are well defined …” Thank you, Dr Ski!

A first quarter moon rises around noon and sets around midnight. You’ll likely spot it in late afternoon or early evening, when it’s at its highest in the sky. At this moon phase, the moon is showing us precisely half of its lighted half. Or you might say that – at first quarter moon – we’re seeing half the moon’s day side.

We call this moon a quarter and not a half because it is one quarter of the way around in its orbit of Earth, as measured from one new moon to the next. Also, although a first quarter moon appears half-lit to us, the illuminated portion we see of a first quarter moon truly is just a quarter. We’re now seeing half the moon’s day side, that is. Another lighted quarter of the moon shines just as brightly in the direction opposite Earth!

Bottom line: The next 1st quarter moon will come on May 30, 2020, at 03:31 UTC. That’s May 29, 10:31 p.m. CDT.