Phase 7 of 8 · UK
Last Quarter Moon
Not right now. The Moon is in its waning crescent phase (4% lit). The next last quarter Moon starts and lasts 3.6 days.
- 31–69% lit · half lit at the quarter
- Lit on the left
- Moon age 20.3–24.0 days
Next last quarter Moon dates in UK time (GMT or BST)
| Exact last quarter | Phase starts | Phase ends | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open in the calendar | 3.6 days | ||
| Open in the calendar | 3.7 days | ||
| Open in the calendar | 3.9 days |
The Moon is last quarter from each start time to the end time beside it. The phase lasts about 3.7 days on average, between three and four days in practice.
Time zone: Europe/London
Last quarter Moon from the UK
Half of the disc is lit again, but this time it is the left-hand half from the UK, and the right half is in shadow. The terminator is almost straight, so craters along it are sharply shadowed.
It rises around midnight, stands highest in the south near dawn and sets around midday. It is the half Moon of the morning, often still visible in a blue daytime sky.
| Day | Lit | Moonrise | Moonset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 29 NovPhase starts | 69% | ||
| Tue 1 DecMiddle | 47% | No time this day | |
| Thu 3 DecPhase ends | 27% |
Rise and set times are for central London on the dates of the next last quarter Moon. Moonrise and moonset for any UK place.
What last quarter means
Also called third quarter: the Moon is three quarters of the way round its orbit from new Moon. As at first quarter, a quarter describes the orbit, while half of the face is lit.
The exact last quarter falls in the middle of the phase, with the gibbous Moon before it and the thinning crescent after it.
In Moon lore. Traditionally used for pruning, reassessment and finishing practical work.