Tonight, if you look towards the western horizon in the early morning hours, you’ll witness a Waning Gibbous moon. This phase follows the Full Moon and marks the beginning of the moon’s journey towards becoming less illuminated each night. On February 19, 2025, this is precisely the lunar phase we are experiencing.
Decoding the Waning Gibbous Moon
On February 19th, the Waning Gibbous moon is illuminated by 62%. This percentage signifies how much of the moon’s surface reflects sunlight back to Earth. It’s important to note that lunar illumination is a dynamic measure, changing daily by as much as 10%. Furthermore, on this date, the Moon is 21.01 days into its cycle. This “age” tracks the time elapsed since the last New Moon. The entire lunar cycle, encompassing all 8 phases, takes approximately 29.53 days to complete as the Moon orbits our planet.
Astrological Context: Moon in Scorpio
From an astrological perspective, the Moon is currently in the zodiac sign of Scorpio, positioned at 17.15°. It entered Scorpio on Loading… and will transition into Sagittarius on Loading…. The zodiac moon sign reflects the Moon’s location as it traverses the twelve constellations of the zodiac. Each lunar zodiac sign typically lasts for about 2 to 2.5 days, mirroring the Moon’s path across the celestial sphere.
Exploring the Lunar Cycle
The Moon progresses through 8 distinct lunar phases during its 29.53-day cycle. The primary phases are the Full Moon, New Moon, First Quarter, and Last Quarter. Between these major phases lie the minor phases: Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous, and Waning Crescent. For a deeper exploration of the Moon Cycle and each individual phase, the Wikipedia Lunar Phase page offers comprehensive information.
In conclusion, tonight’s moon is in its Waning Gibbous phase. You can observe it in the early morning sky, a beautiful spectacle as it journeys towards its next phase in the lunar cycle.
