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Moon phases and dark nights for aurora watching in 2027

Moonlight brightens the whole sky. Around full moon it washes out faint aurora, so you only see the brighter displays. A strong aurora is still easy to see under a full moon, and moonlight can even make nice photos with lit-up landscapes. For faint, everyday aurora the best weeks are the ones around new moon, when the sky is darkest.

Moon calendar 2027

Each day shows the Moon's phase and how much of it is lit during the night that starts that evening (18:00–06:00 UTC). Highlighted days are dark nights: the Moon is less than 25% lit all night.

January 2027
MTWTFSS
131%Waning crescent222%Waning crescent, dark night315%Waning crescent, dark night
49%Waning crescent, dark night54%Waning crescent, dark night61%Waning crescent, dark night70%New moon, dark night82%Waxing crescent, dark night95%Waxing crescent, dark night1010%Waxing crescent, dark night
1117%Waxing crescent, dark night1225%Waxing crescent, dark night1334%Waxing crescent1444%Waxing crescent1554%First quarter1665%Waxing gibbous1775%Waxing gibbous
1885%Waxing gibbous1992%Waxing gibbous2098%Waxing gibbous21100%Waxing gibbous22100%Full moon2398%Waning gibbous2493%Waning gibbous
2586%Waning gibbous2677%Waning gibbous2767%Waning gibbous2857%Waning gibbous2947%Last quarter3037%Waning crescent3128%Waning crescent
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
February 2027
MTWTFSS
120%Waning crescent, dark night213%Waning crescent, dark night38%Waning crescent, dark night43%Waning crescent, dark night51%Waning crescent, dark night60%New moon, dark night72%Waxing crescent, dark night
86%Waxing crescent, dark night912%Waxing crescent, dark night1019%Waxing crescent, dark night1128%Waxing crescent1238%Waxing crescent1349%Waxing crescent1460%First quarter
1571%Waxing gibbous1681%Waxing gibbous1790%Waxing gibbous1896%Waxing gibbous1999%Waxing gibbous20100%Full moon2199%Waning gibbous
2296%Waning gibbous2390%Waning gibbous2482%Waning gibbous2574%Waning gibbous2664%Waning gibbous2755%Waning gibbous2845%Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
March 2027
MTWTFSS
136%Waning crescent227%Waning crescent319%Waning crescent, dark night412%Waning crescent, dark night57%Waning crescent, dark night63%Waning crescent, dark night70%Waning crescent, dark night
81%New moon, dark night94%Waxing crescent, dark night109%Waxing crescent, dark night1116%Waxing crescent, dark night1224%Waxing crescent, dark night1334%Waxing crescent1445%Waxing crescent
1557%First quarter1668%Waxing gibbous1778%Waxing gibbous1887%Waxing gibbous1994%Waxing gibbous2098%Waxing gibbous21100%Waxing gibbous
22100%Full moon2398%Waning gibbous2493%Waning gibbous2587%Waning gibbous2680%Waning gibbous2771%Waning gibbous2862%Waning gibbous
2953%Waning gibbous3043%Last quarter3134%Waning crescent
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
April 2027
MTWTFSS
126%Waning crescent218%Waning crescent, dark night311%Waning crescent, dark night45%Waning crescent, dark night
52%Waning crescent, dark night60%New moon, dark night72%Waxing crescent, dark night86%Waxing crescent, dark night913%Waxing crescent, dark night1021%Waxing crescent, dark night1131%Waxing crescent
1242%Waxing crescent1353%First quarter1465%Waxing gibbous1575%Waxing gibbous1684%Waxing gibbous1791%Waxing gibbous1897%Waxing gibbous
1999%Waxing gibbous20100%Full moon2199%Waning gibbous2296%Waning gibbous2392%Waning gibbous2485%Waning gibbous2578%Waning gibbous
2669%Waning gibbous2760%Waning gibbous2851%Last quarter2942%Waning crescent3032%Waning crescent
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
May 2027
MTWTFSS
123%Waning crescent, dark night216%Waning crescent, dark night
39%Waning crescent, dark night44%Waning crescent, dark night51%Waning crescent, dark night61%New moon, dark night74%Waxing crescent, dark night810%Waxing crescent, dark night919%Waxing crescent, dark night
1028%Waxing crescent1139%Waxing crescent1251%Waxing crescent1362%First quarter1472%Waxing gibbous1581%Waxing gibbous1689%Waxing gibbous
1795%Waxing gibbous1898%Waxing gibbous19100%Waxing gibbous20100%Full moon2198%Waning gibbous2295%Waning gibbous2390%Waning gibbous
2483%Waning gibbous2576%Waning gibbous2667%Waning gibbous2758%Waning gibbous2849%Last quarter2939%Waning crescent3029%Waning crescent
3120%Waning crescent, dark night
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
June 2027
MTWTFSS
112%Waning crescent, dark night26%Waning crescent, dark night32%Waning crescent, dark night40%New moon, dark night53%Waxing crescent, dark night68%Waxing crescent, dark night
716%Waxing crescent, dark night826%Waxing crescent937%Waxing crescent1048%Waxing crescent1159%First quarter1269%Waxing gibbous1378%Waxing gibbous
1486%Waxing gibbous1592%Waxing gibbous1697%Waxing gibbous1799%Waxing gibbous18100%Waxing gibbous1999%Full moon2097%Waning gibbous
2193%Waning gibbous2288%Waning gibbous2381%Waning gibbous2473%Waning gibbous2564%Waning gibbous2655%Waning gibbous2745%Last quarter
2834%Waning crescent2925%Waning crescent, dark night3016%Waning crescent, dark night
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
July 2027
MTWTFSS
18%Waning crescent, dark night23%Waning crescent, dark night30%Waning crescent, dark night42%New moon, dark night
57%Waxing crescent, dark night614%Waxing crescent, dark night723%Waxing crescent, dark night834%Waxing crescent944%Waxing crescent1055%First quarter1165%Waxing gibbous
1275%Waxing gibbous1383%Waxing gibbous1490%Waxing gibbous1595%Waxing gibbous1698%Waxing gibbous17100%Waxing gibbous18100%Full moon
1999%Waning gibbous2096%Waning gibbous2192%Waning gibbous2286%Waning gibbous2378%Waning gibbous2470%Waning gibbous2560%Waning gibbous
2650%Last quarter2739%Waning crescent2829%Waning crescent2919%Waning crescent, dark night3011%Waning crescent, dark night314%Waning crescent, dark night
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
August 2027
MTWTFSS
11%Waning crescent, dark night
21%New moon, dark night35%Waxing crescent, dark night412%Waxing crescent, dark night520%Waxing crescent, dark night630%Waxing crescent740%Waxing crescent851%Waxing crescent
961%First quarter1070%Waxing gibbous1179%Waxing gibbous1286%Waxing gibbous1392%Waxing gibbous1496%Waxing gibbous1599%Waxing gibbous
16100%Waxing gibbous17100%Full moon1898%Waning gibbous1995%Waning gibbous2089%Waning gibbous2182%Waning gibbous2274%Waning gibbous
2364%Waning gibbous2454%Waning gibbous2543%Last quarter2632%Waning crescent2722%Waning crescent, dark night2813%Waning crescent, dark night296%Waning crescent, dark night
301%Waning crescent, dark night310%New moon, dark night
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
September 2027
MTWTFSS
13%Waxing crescent, dark night29%Waxing crescent, dark night316%Waxing crescent, dark night425%Waxing crescent535%Waxing crescent
645%Waxing crescent755%First quarter864%Waxing gibbous973%Waxing gibbous1081%Waxing gibbous1188%Waxing gibbous1293%Waxing gibbous
1397%Waxing gibbous1499%Waxing gibbous15100%Full moon1699%Waning gibbous1797%Waning gibbous1892%Waning gibbous1986%Waning gibbous
2078%Waning gibbous2168%Waning gibbous2258%Waning gibbous2347%Last quarter2435%Waning crescent2525%Waning crescent, dark night2615%Waning crescent, dark night
278%Waning crescent, dark night283%Waning crescent, dark night290%Waning crescent, dark night302%New moon, dark night
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
October 2027
MTWTFSS
16%Waxing crescent, dark night212%Waxing crescent, dark night320%Waxing crescent, dark night
429%Waxing crescent538%Waxing crescent648%Waxing crescent757%First quarter866%Waxing gibbous975%Waxing gibbous1083%Waxing gibbous
1189%Waxing gibbous1294%Waxing gibbous1398%Waxing gibbous14100%Waxing gibbous15100%Full moon1698%Waning gibbous1795%Waning gibbous
1889%Waning gibbous1981%Waning gibbous2072%Waning gibbous2161%Waning gibbous2250%Last quarter2339%Waning crescent2428%Waning crescent
2518%Waning crescent, dark night2610%Waning crescent, dark night274%Waning crescent, dark night281%Waning crescent, dark night291%New moon, dark night304%Waxing crescent, dark night318%Waxing crescent, dark night
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
November 2027
MTWTFSS
115%Waxing crescent, dark night222%Waxing crescent, dark night331%Waxing crescent440%Waxing crescent549%Waxing crescent659%First quarter768%Waxing gibbous
876%Waxing gibbous984%Waxing gibbous1091%Waxing gibbous1196%Waxing gibbous1299%Waxing gibbous13100%Waxing gibbous1499%Full moon
1597%Waning gibbous1692%Waning gibbous1784%Waning gibbous1875%Waning gibbous1965%Waning gibbous2053%Waning gibbous2142%Last quarter
2231%Waning crescent2321%Waning crescent, dark night2413%Waning crescent, dark night257%Waning crescent, dark night262%Waning crescent, dark night270%Waning crescent, dark night281%New moon, dark night
295%Waxing crescent, dark night3010%Waxing crescent, dark night
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
December 2027
MTWTFSS
116%Waxing crescent, dark night224%Waxing crescent, dark night332%Waxing crescent441%Waxing crescent550%Waxing crescent
660%First quarter769%Waxing gibbous878%Waxing gibbous986%Waxing gibbous1092%Waxing gibbous1197%Waxing gibbous12100%Waxing gibbous
13100%Full moon1498%Waning gibbous1594%Waning gibbous1687%Waning gibbous1779%Waning gibbous1868%Waning gibbous1957%Waning gibbous
2046%Last quarter2135%Waning crescent2225%Waning crescent2317%Waning crescent, dark night2410%Waning crescent, dark night254%Waning crescent, dark night261%Waning crescent, dark night
270%New moon, dark night282%Waxing crescent, dark night295%Waxing crescent, dark night3010%Waxing crescent, dark night3117%Waxing crescent, dark night
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon

New moons, full moons and the best aurora weeks in 2027

The best aurora week is the new moon plus and minus five days. The northern aurora season runs from September to March, the southern season from March to September. In summer the sky never gets dark at 69°N (midnight sun and light nights), so those weeks are no use for the northern lights.

New moon (UTC) Best aurora week Next full moon (UTC) Northern lights (69°N) Southern lights
2 Jan – 12 Jan Good: in season Off season
1 Feb – 11 Feb Good: in season Off season
3 Mar – 13 Mar Good: in season Good: in season
1 Apr – 11 Apr Some nights too light Good: in season
1 May – 11 May Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
30 May – 9 Jun Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
29 Jun – 9 Jul Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
28 Jul – 7 Aug Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
26 Aug – 5 Sept Some nights too light Good: in season
25 Sept – 5 Oct Good: in season Good: in season
24 Oct – 3 Nov Good: in season Off season
23 Nov – 3 Dec Good: in season Off season
22 Dec – 1 Jan – Good: in season Off season

Plan your aurora trip

Moon phases computed with the open-source astronomy-engine library (MIT licence). Accurate to about a minute.

Alerts · The Sun · Best time