Moon Phases · July 14, 2026

New Moon.

Less moonlight for seeing stars. Check your local dark window.

Peak Jul 14, 2026 at 09:43 UTC

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When it happens

Catalog peak

Jul 14, 2026 at 09:43 UTC

Global reference time: July 14, 2026 at 09:43 UTC. Your local calendar date may differ.

The peak is not necessarily the best time to look from your location. Horizon, darkness, Moon position and weather determine the useful observing window.

What to expect

Visibility & observing notes

The new Moon itself is not visible. Nearby nights can offer less moonlight for stargazing.

Observing note: The Moon itself is not visible at new moon.

Understand the moment

Sunlight makes the phase

The geometry behind New Moon

At new moon, the Moon is on the Sun’s side of Earth and we face its largely unilluminated hemisphere. The Moon still has a sunlit side; most of that side faces away from us.

NASA’s explanation of Moon phases ↗

Try it in the astronomy lab

Change the date. Follow the light.

Move the date a few days forward or backward in Moonlight to watch the illuminated fraction change. The boundary between lunar day and night is called the terminator.

Explore the Moon on this date

Opens July 14, 2026 at 12:00 UTC. Each scene is an exact daily sample, without interpolation; it is separate from the catalog peak of 09:43 UTC.

How to read the scene: This Earth-centered view shows illumination, not the Moon’s rise time or its rotation relative to your horizon. A daily sample may differ from the exact phase instant.

More about observing moon

A little context. A better view.

Moon Phases: a field guide

One phase, different local dates

The exact lunar phase is a global instant. Your time zone can put it on the previous or following calendar date. The Moon’s rise, set and position still depend on where you are.

Full moon lights up the night

A full moon is a useful subject to observe, but its light makes faint stars and meteors harder to see. Choose a clear horizon and check whether the Moon will be above it.

New moon is about what you do not see

The new Moon itself is not a naked-eye target. Reduced moonlight near this phase can help with stargazing, although darkness, clouds and local lighting still determine the view.

Supermoons in context

The catalog identifies some full moons near Earth as supermoons. Event details report distance when available; the label does not guarantee a dramatic visual difference or favorable weather.

Learn more: U.S. Naval Observatory Moon and sky data