🌙 Lunar Orbit Observer
Moon Rise & Moon Set Tracker
Find out exactly when the moon rises and sets from your location. The tracker detects your position automatically and calculates the times using standard astronomical formulas — no manual input needed.
Why the timing matters
The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, since it moves roughly 13° further along its orbit every 24 hours. That shift is why a live tracker is more useful than a printed table — the numbers change daily.
A few practical uses:
- Astrophotography: shooting the moon near the horizon, when it's large and often orange-tinted, means timing your setup to the minute.
- Stargazing: a bright moon washes out faint stars and the Milky Way. Knowing when it's below the horizon helps you plan dark-sky viewing.
- Tides and wildlife: moonrise and moonset correlate with tidal cycles and the activity patterns of some nocturnal animals.
| Phase | Moonrise | Moonset | Best visibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Moon | ~06:00 (sunrise) | ~18:00 (sunset) | Not visible — too close to the sun |
| First Quarter | ~12:00 (midday) | ~00:00 (midnight) | Evening sky |
| Full Moon | ~18:00 (sunset) | ~06:00 (sunrise) | All night |
| Last Quarter | ~00:00 (midnight) | ~12:00 (midday) | Early morning sky |
How rise and set times relate to moon phase
- New moon: rises and sets with the sun.
- First quarter: rises around midday, sets around midnight — visible in the evening sky.
- Full moon: rises at sunset, sets at sunrise — up all night.
- Last quarter: rises around midnight, sets around midday — best for early-morning viewing.
What the tracker shows
- Moonrise and moonset times for your exact coordinates
- An interactive map marking your location and the moon's position on the horizon
- Moon altitude and azimuth, so you know how high it'll climb and which direction to look
- Countdown to the next supermoon
Check back daily, since the times shift — and pair it with a weather forecast, since cloud cover matters as much as timing for actually seeing anything.
Moon Rise & Moon Set FAQ
Moonrise is the moment the upper edge of the Moon appears above the eastern horizon due to Earth's rotation. Moonset is the moment the Moon disappears below the western horizon. Because the Moon orbits Earth, these times shift by approximately 50 minutes each day.
The Moon rises later each day because it is constantly moving eastward in its orbit around Earth. While Earth completes a full rotation in 24 hours, the Moon has moved about 13 degrees further in its orbit, requiring Earth to rotate for an extra 50 minutes to bring the Moon back into view over the horizon.
Yes, the Moon is above the horizon during daylight hours for about half of the month. Its visibility depends on its phase; for example, during the First Quarter phase, the Moon rises around noon and is clearly visible in the afternoon sky if the weather is clear.
During a Full Moon, the Moon rises almost exactly at sunset and sets at sunrise. This happens because the Moon is positioned directly opposite the Sun from Earth's perspective, allowing it to reflect maximum sunlight throughout the entire night.
Your specific latitude and longitude determine when the Moon crosses your local horizon. Additionally, your altitude and local topography (like mountains or tall buildings) can delay when you actually see the Moon appear or disappear compared to a flat sea-level horizon.
Generally, yes. Like the Sun and stars, the Moon rises in the east and sets in the west because of Earth's counter-clockwise rotation. However, the exact point on the eastern horizon (the azimuth) shifts north or south throughout the month depending on the Moon's declination.
This is often due to the Moon's altitude at its highest point (meridian transit). Depending on your location and the time of year, the Moon’s path may stay low in the sky. When near the horizon, the Moon often appears larger and more orange due to the "Moon Illusion" and atmospheric scattering.