Moon Phase on Friday, December 18, 2026
Times use New York, NY (America/New_York) unless noted.
- Phase
- Waxing Gibbous
- Illumination
- 65%
- Moon age
- 9.7 days
- Moonrise
- 12:21 PM
- Moonset
- 12:55 AM
Times on this page are for New York, NY (EST) unless noted. Phase and illumination are calculated for 12:00 PM local time with astronomy-engine.
The Moon is a waxing gibbous moon on Friday, December 18, 2026 (65% lit). It rises in the afternoon, is already up at sunset, and stays in the sky until after midnight. In New York, NY, moonrise is at 12:21 PM.
A bright waxing gibbous moon (65%) lights the afternoon on Friday, December 18, 2026. Each night it rises later and shows more of its face, until Full Moon in a few days.
Viewing tips
Evening viewing is easy, but the bright Moon washes out faint stars and meteors. Lunar features near the shrinking shadow edge on the left side still show good relief through binoculars.
The next major phase is the Full Moon on December 23 at 8:28 PM EST, 5 days from now.
The next full moon is the Cold Moon on Wednesday, December 23, 2026. See the Cold Moon page for times in every US time zone.
The Moon takes about 29.5 days to go through all eight phases, the synodic month. Phases happen at the same instant everywhere on Earth, but the calendar date can change with your time zone, especially when a phase falls near midnight.
FAQ
- What is the moon phase on Friday, December 18, 2026?
- On Friday, December 18, 2026, the Moon is a waxing gibbous moon, about 65% illuminated and 9.7 days old (calculated for 12:00 PM, EST).
- What time does the Moon rise on December 18 in New York, NY?
- In New York, NY, moonrise is at 12:21 PM and moonset at 12:55 AM (EST). Open the city moonrise page for other locations.
- When is the next full moon after December 18?
- The next full moon is the Cold Moon on Wednesday, December 23, 2026 at 8:28 PM EST.