Moon

The Moon

Also known as LUNA · MAH · CHANDRA · QAMAR

Earth's constant companion.

Fifth-largest moon in the Solar System. Tidally locked, so always shows the same face to Earth.

Phases

New → Waxing Crescent → First Quarter → Waxing Gibbous → Full → Waning Gibbous → Last Quarter → Waning Crescent.

Observing

Best viewed near First or Last Quarter when shadows along the terminator make craters dramatic.

Observing from Chitral

The most rewarding lunar views come along the terminator — the day/night line — where low sunlight throws crater shadows into relief. Full Moon is the worst time to observe the Moon and the worst time to observe anything else: from Chitral's dark sites a gibbous Moon above the ridge wipes out the Milky Way entirely. Plan deep-sky nights for the week around new Moon.

History & culture

The Moon's phases underpin the Islamic calendar, so the first sighting of the young crescent after new Moon has been a matter of careful, practical observation in this region for centuries — the same low-western-horizon skill that makes a good Mercury observer.