Moon Phase Today: What the Moon Looks Like on September 17, 2026

Tonight’s sky offers a nice chance to get a closer look at our nearest neighbour. According to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide, the Moon is sitting in a waxing crescent phase, with roughly 35 % of its sun‑lit side visible from Earth.

That puts us at day 6 of the roughly 29.5‑day lunar cycle, so the thin curve of light on the right side (for observers in the Northern Hemisphere) is growing a little each night. If you step outside after sunset, you should be able to make out the familiar dark patches of Mare Crisium and Mare Fecunditatis with just the naked eye.

Grab a pair of binoculars and the Endymion crater will start to pop into view, its rim catching the sun’s glare. For the truly curious, a modest telescope will reveal even more – the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 landing sites become discernible, nestled among the lunar highlands.

Looking ahead, the next full Moon arrives on September 26, giving you about a week to watch the crescent swell into a gibbous shape before it reaches its maximum brilliance.

Why does the Moon change shape? As it orbits Earth every 29.5 days, we see varying portions of its illuminated half. The eight classic phases – New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third (Last) Quarter, and Waning Crescent – are simply the geometric result of the Moon’s position relative to Earth and the Sun.

So, if you’re planning a night‑time outing on September 17, keep an eye on the sky. With a bit of patience you’ll catch a growing sliver of light, a few familiar lunar seas, and perhaps even the faint outlines of humanity’s historic footprints.