Moon Calendar
Moon phase, moonrise and moonset for every day – and at a glance, when the next new moon brings dark skies for the Milky Way.
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- Illumination
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- Moonrise
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- Moonset
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Next new moon
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Next full moon
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The next 4 weeks
Tap a day to show details.
Why the moon matters for photographers
The moon is the biggest "interference factor" – or the most beautiful subject – in the night sky, depending on what you want to photograph. For the Milky Way and starry skies you need nights as dark as possible around new moon. For atmospheric, moonlit landscapes or the classic full moon rising over mountains, the opposite applies: the full moon becomes the star of the show.
Photographing the Milky Way: use the new moon
The best conditions for astrophotography: new moon (or the moon below the horizon), clear skies and a location far from light pollution – in Switzerland for example at Melchsee-Frutt. The galactic core is visible from about March (early morning) through October (evening). What a night like that looks like is in my astrophotography blog post.
Photographing the full moon
The most exciting moment is moonrise on the day of the full moon (or the day before): the moon sits low, appears large, and the remaining dusk light gives the landscape definition. With a long focal length and a striking foreground – mountain silhouette, church tower, tree – you get the most striking images. The rise time for your location is shown by the calculator above.
How is it calculated?
Moon phase, illumination, and rise and set times are calculated astronomically from date and coordinates – directly in the browser, without external services. Times assume an open horizon; mountains can delay moonrise considerably on location.
More detailed moon calendar
For a comprehensive moon calendar with additional features – such as moon distance, perigee and apogee, or a yearly overview – I recommend mooncal.ch.
Keen on a shoot under the open sky? Write to me – I photograph weddings, maternity, families, couples, portraits, babies and events in Lucerne and across Switzerland.
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