Moon sighting today: where is the Moon and when is the new crescent?
See the Moon's phase now, where it is in your sky (which way to face and how high to look), and the world map of where the next new crescent (hilal) can be seen. Your location stays on your device. It also gives the moon phase today, the moonrise time and the Islamic month start.
New crescent visibility map for Rajab 1448
- New moon (conjunction)
- Wednesday, 9 December 2026 at 00:52 UTC
- First sighting evening
- Thursday, 10 December 2026
- Rajab 1448 begins (calculated for Najaf)
- Friday, 11 December 2026
- Hijri date today
- 4 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH (Umm al-Qura, via AlAdhan)
The new moon happens at Wednesday, 9 December 2026 at 00:52 UTC. The crescent is usually too thin and too close to the Sun to see on that day, so the map shows where it can be seen after sunset on each evening of the sighting window. Tap an evening to change the map.
- A: visible to the naked eye easily
- B: visible to the eye in perfect conditions
- C: needs binoculars or a telescope to find, may then be seen by eye
- D: visible with a telescope only
- Not visible
The crescent from your location
Share your location (button at the top) to see your own zone on each evening.
The Moon now, from where you are
Share your location to see the Moon in your sky.
Waxing crescent
25% lit · 5.4 days since the new moon
Share your location to see which way to face and how high to look.
- Height above horizon
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- Direction (from true north)
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- Next moonrise
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- Next moonset
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- Distance from Earth
- 405,141 km
The Moon through Jumada al-Akhirah 1448
- Today is 4 Jumada al-Akhirah. This evening's Moon: Waxing crescent, about 25% lit.
- New moon: Mon 9 November.
- Full moon: Tue 24 November.
- White days (13th to 15th): Mon 23 November to Wed 25 November.
A Hijri month has 29 or 30 days; its last day depends on the next crescent. Phases are calculated for each evening. Days follow the Umm al-Qura calendar; your country may begin the month a day later.
Moon compass: turn until the gold arrow points up
Share your location (button at the top) so the compass knows where the Moon is from you.
- Your heading
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- Moon
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- Accuracy
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More tools
Calibrate: move your phone in a figure-eight a few times.
The arrow points to the Moon's direction from true north; when the Moon is below the horizon it points to where it will rise. The small sun on the dial shows where the real Sun is. If they line up, your compass is accurate.
What is the Moon's phase today, and when is the next crescent?
Today's Moon phase is Waxing crescent: 25% lit, 5.4 days since the new moon. The next new moon is on Wednesday, 9 December 2026 at 00:52 UTC; look for the crescent of Rajab 1448 on the evening of Thursday, 10 December 2026, and the month is calculated to begin on Friday, 11 December 2026.
- Phase now
- Waxing crescent
- Illuminated
- 25%
- Hijri date today
- 4 Jumada al-Akhirah 1448 AH
Crescent visibility: our own Yallop/Shaukat calculation, checked against TheShia.org; Hijri date: AlAdhan / Islamic Network; Moon position: Astronomy Engine.
How this is calculated
We calculate crescent visibility ourselves, with no outside service. For every 2° square of the world, the Yallop criterion (HM Nautical Almanac Office, NAO Technical Note 69) is applied at the best time after local sunset, with the zone limits calibrated against moonsighting.com observation reports (Shaukat). The Moon's position comes from Astronomy Engine, a precise open-source astronomy library, and your own zone is calculated on your device for your exact position. The month is calculated to begin the day after the first evening the crescent can be sighted at Najaf (q ≥ −0.30: by eye, or found with optical aid and then seen). We check our results against TheShia.org's published moonsighting.com-calibrated data: over 42 months the calculated month start agreed 41 times, and the naked-eye verdict agreed in 98.82% of map squares. Today's Hijri date is from the AlAdhan API (Umm al-Qura calendar), with the Islamic Network server as a fallback. Calculated visibility is a guide: the start of an Islamic month is decided by an actual sighting and your local authority.
The full mathematics, step by step with a live worked example
Yallop, NAO Technical Note 69 · moonsighting.com · TheShia.org · AlAdhan (Islamic Network) · Astronomy Engine
Moon sighting questions
Where is the Moon right now?
Tap “Show the Moon from where I am”. The page uses your phone's GPS to show the Moon's direction from true north and its height above the horizon, and draws it on a map of your sky. If the Moon is below the horizon it tells you when and where it rises.
How do I find the Moon with my phone camera?
Tap “Find the Moon with my camera” and hold the phone up. The camera picture shows the Moon in a gold circle where it is; when it is outside the picture, an arrow and plain words (turn right, raise the phone) lead you to it. It uses your phone's compass, gyroscope and GPS; compasses can be a few degrees off, so once the real Moon is in the circle, tap Align.
When will the new crescent (hilal) be visible?
Usually one or two evenings after the new moon, shortly after sunset, low in the western sky. The map shows where it can be seen on each evening: zone A easily by eye, zone B by eye in perfect conditions, zone C with binoculars, zone D with a telescope only.
Why is the crescent seen in some countries a day earlier?
The crescent is easier to see further west, because the Moon has had more hours to move away from the Sun by local sunset there. That is why the Americas often see it an evening before Asia.
Does this decide when Ramadan or Eid begins?
No. It is an astronomical forecast. Follow your mosque or national moon-sighting committee, which may use a local sighting, a sighting from another country, or a calculated calendar.
Is my location shared?
No. The Moon's position is calculated in your browser, and your visibility zone is read from the world map on your device. Your coordinates are not sent to us or to the data providers.
Key features
- Moon phase, position and rise or set time for your location
- Camera view that marks where to look for the Moon
- Compass arrow that points to the Moon from your phone
- World map of where the next new crescent (hilal) can be seen
What you need to provide
Your device location or a chosen city. Location is optional and stays on your device; the camera is used only if you tap the camera button.
Moon sighting here is an observational and educational aid. Official local moon-sighting and religious authorities prevail for the start of Ramadan and Eid.
Related tools
Last updated: · Calculated for today and refreshed daily.