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Moon phases and dark nights for aurora watching in 2028

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 2028

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 2028
MTWTFSS
124%Waxing crescent, dark night233%Waxing crescent
342%Waxing crescent452%Waxing crescent562%First quarter671%Waxing gibbous781%Waxing gibbous889%Waxing gibbous995%Waxing gibbous
1099%Waxing gibbous11100%Waxing gibbous12100%Full moon1396%Waning gibbous1490%Waning gibbous1582%Waning gibbous1672%Waning gibbous
1762%Waning gibbous1851%Last quarter1940%Waning crescent2030%Waning crescent2121%Waning crescent, dark night2214%Waning crescent, dark night238%Waning crescent, dark night
243%Waning crescent, dark night251%Waning crescent, dark night260%New moon, dark night272%Waxing crescent, dark night286%Waxing crescent, dark night2911%Waxing crescent, dark night3018%Waxing crescent, dark night
3126%Waxing crescent
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
February 2028
MTWTFSS
135%Waxing crescent245%Waxing crescent355%First quarter465%Waxing gibbous575%Waxing gibbous684%Waxing gibbous
792%Waxing gibbous897%Waxing gibbous9100%Waxing gibbous10100%Full moon1198%Waning gibbous1293%Waning gibbous1386%Waning gibbous
1477%Waning gibbous1567%Waning gibbous1656%Waning gibbous1746%Last quarter1836%Waning crescent1927%Waning crescent2019%Waning crescent, dark night
2112%Waning crescent, dark night226%Waning crescent, dark night233%Waning crescent, dark night240%Waning crescent, dark night251%New moon, dark night263%Waxing crescent, dark night277%Waxing crescent, dark night
2813%Waxing crescent, dark night2920%Waxing crescent, dark night
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
March 2028
MTWTFSS
129%Waxing crescent238%Waxing crescent349%Waxing crescent460%First quarter570%Waxing gibbous
680%Waxing gibbous789%Waxing gibbous895%Waxing gibbous999%Waxing gibbous10100%Waxing gibbous1199%Full moon1296%Waning gibbous
1390%Waning gibbous1482%Waning gibbous1572%Waning gibbous1662%Waning gibbous1752%Last quarter1842%Waning crescent1933%Waning crescent
2024%Waning crescent, dark night2117%Waning crescent, dark night2210%Waning crescent, dark night235%Waning crescent, dark night242%Waning crescent, dark night250%Waning crescent, dark night261%New moon, dark night
274%Waxing crescent, dark night289%Waxing crescent, dark night2916%Waxing crescent, dark night3024%Waxing crescent, dark night3134%Waxing crescent
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
April 2028
MTWTFSS
144%Waxing crescent255%First quarter
366%Waxing gibbous477%Waxing gibbous586%Waxing gibbous693%Waxing gibbous798%Waxing gibbous8100%Waxing gibbous9100%Full moon
1097%Waning gibbous1193%Waning gibbous1286%Waning gibbous1378%Waning gibbous1469%Waning gibbous1559%Waning gibbous1650%Last quarter
1740%Waning crescent1831%Waning crescent1923%Waning crescent, dark night2015%Waning crescent, dark night219%Waning crescent, dark night224%Waning crescent, dark night231%Waning crescent, dark night
240%New moon, dark night252%Waxing crescent, dark night266%Waxing crescent, dark night2712%Waxing crescent, dark night2820%Waxing crescent, dark night2930%Waxing crescent3041%Waxing crescent
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
May 2028
MTWTFSS
152%Waxing crescent263%First quarter374%Waxing gibbous483%Waxing gibbous591%Waxing gibbous697%Waxing gibbous799%Waxing gibbous
8100%Full moon999%Waning gibbous1095%Waning gibbous1190%Waning gibbous1283%Waning gibbous1375%Waning gibbous1466%Waning gibbous
1557%Waning gibbous1647%Last quarter1738%Waning crescent1829%Waning crescent1921%Waning crescent, dark night2013%Waning crescent, dark night217%Waning crescent, dark night
223%Waning crescent, dark night231%Waning crescent, dark night241%New moon, dark night254%Waxing crescent, dark night2610%Waxing crescent, dark night2718%Waxing crescent, dark night2827%Waxing crescent
2938%Waxing crescent3049%Waxing crescent3161%First quarter
  • First quarter
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
June 2028
MTWTFSS
172%Waxing gibbous281%Waxing gibbous389%Waxing gibbous495%Waxing gibbous
599%Waxing gibbous6100%Waxing gibbous7100%Full moon898%Waning gibbous993%Waning gibbous1088%Waning gibbous1181%Waning gibbous
1272%Waning gibbous1364%Waning gibbous1454%Waning gibbous1545%Last quarter1635%Waning crescent1726%Waning crescent1818%Waning crescent, dark night
1911%Waning crescent, dark night205%Waning crescent, dark night211%Waning crescent, dark night220%New moon, dark night233%Waxing crescent, dark night248%Waxing crescent, dark night2516%Waxing crescent, dark night
2625%Waxing crescent2736%Waxing crescent2847%Waxing crescent2959%First quarter3069%Waxing gibbous
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
July 2028
MTWTFSS
179%Waxing gibbous287%Waxing gibbous
393%Waxing gibbous498%Waxing gibbous5100%Waxing gibbous6100%Full moon799%Waning gibbous896%Waning gibbous992%Waning gibbous
1085%Waning gibbous1178%Waning gibbous1270%Waning gibbous1361%Waning gibbous1451%Last quarter1542%Waning crescent1632%Waning crescent
1723%Waning crescent, dark night1814%Waning crescent, dark night198%Waning crescent, dark night203%Waning crescent, dark night210%Waning crescent, dark night222%New moon, dark night237%Waxing crescent, dark night
2414%Waxing crescent, dark night2523%Waxing crescent, dark night2633%Waxing crescent2745%Waxing crescent2856%First quarter2966%Waxing gibbous3076%Waxing gibbous
3184%Waxing gibbous
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
August 2028
MTWTFSS
191%Waxing gibbous296%Waxing gibbous399%Waxing gibbous4100%Waxing gibbous5100%Full moon698%Waning gibbous
795%Waning gibbous890%Waning gibbous983%Waning gibbous1076%Waning gibbous1167%Waning gibbous1257%Waning gibbous1348%Last quarter
1437%Waning crescent1527%Waning crescent1618%Waning crescent, dark night1710%Waning crescent, dark night184%Waning crescent, dark night191%Waning crescent, dark night201%New moon, dark night
215%Waxing crescent, dark night2212%Waxing crescent, dark night2320%Waxing crescent, dark night2430%Waxing crescent2541%Waxing crescent2652%Waxing crescent2763%First quarter
2872%Waxing gibbous2981%Waxing gibbous3088%Waxing gibbous3193%Waxing gibbous
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
September 2028
MTWTFSS
197%Waxing gibbous299%Waxing gibbous3100%Full moon
499%Waning gibbous597%Waning gibbous693%Waning gibbous788%Waning gibbous881%Waning gibbous972%Waning gibbous1063%Waning gibbous
1153%Waning gibbous1243%Last quarter1332%Waning crescent1422%Waning crescent, dark night1513%Waning crescent, dark night166%Waning crescent, dark night172%Waning crescent, dark night
181%New moon, dark night194%Waxing crescent, dark night209%Waxing crescent, dark night2117%Waxing crescent, dark night2226%Waxing crescent2337%Waxing crescent2447%Waxing crescent
2557%First quarter2667%Waxing gibbous2776%Waxing gibbous2883%Waxing gibbous2990%Waxing gibbous3095%Waxing gibbous
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
October 2028
MTWTFSS
198%Waxing gibbous
2100%Waxing gibbous3100%Full moon499%Waning gibbous596%Waning gibbous691%Waning gibbous785%Waning gibbous877%Waning gibbous
968%Waning gibbous1058%Waning gibbous1147%Last quarter1236%Waning crescent1326%Waning crescent1416%Waning crescent, dark night158%Waning crescent, dark night
163%Waning crescent, dark night170%Waning crescent, dark night182%New moon, dark night197%Waxing crescent, dark night2013%Waxing crescent, dark night2122%Waxing crescent, dark night2231%Waxing crescent
2341%Waxing crescent2451%Waxing crescent2560%First quarter2669%Waxing gibbous2778%Waxing gibbous2885%Waxing gibbous2991%Waxing gibbous
3096%Waxing gibbous3199%Waxing gibbous
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
November 2028
MTWTFSS
1100%Waxing gibbous2100%Full moon398%Waning gibbous494%Waning gibbous589%Waning gibbous
682%Waning gibbous773%Waning gibbous863%Waning gibbous952%Last quarter1040%Waning crescent1130%Waning crescent1219%Waning crescent, dark night
1311%Waning crescent, dark night145%Waning crescent, dark night151%Waning crescent, dark night161%New moon, dark night174%Waxing crescent, dark night189%Waxing crescent, dark night1916%Waxing crescent, dark night
2024%Waxing crescent, dark night2133%Waxing crescent2243%Waxing crescent2352%Waxing crescent2462%First quarter2571%Waxing gibbous2679%Waxing gibbous
2786%Waxing gibbous2892%Waxing gibbous2996%Waxing gibbous3099%Waxing gibbous
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
December 2028
MTWTFSS
1100%Waxing gibbous299%Full moon397%Waning gibbous
492%Waning gibbous585%Waning gibbous677%Waning gibbous767%Waning gibbous856%Waning gibbous944%Last quarter1033%Waning crescent
1123%Waning crescent, dark night1214%Waning crescent, dark night137%Waning crescent, dark night142%Waning crescent, dark night150%Waning crescent, dark night162%New moon, dark night175%Waxing crescent, dark night
1811%Waxing crescent, dark night1918%Waxing crescent, dark night2026%Waxing crescent2135%Waxing crescent2244%Waxing crescent2353%First quarter2463%Waxing gibbous
2572%Waxing gibbous2680%Waxing gibbous2787%Waxing gibbous2893%Waxing gibbous2998%Waxing gibbous30100%Waxing gibbous31100%Full moon
  • Full moon
  • Last quarter
  • New moon
  • First quarter
  • Full moon

New moons, full moons and the best aurora weeks in 2028

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
– – – –
21 Jan – 31 Jan Good: in season Off season
20 Feb – 1 Mar Good: in season Off season
21 Mar – 31 Mar Good: in season Good: in season
19 Apr – 29 Apr Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
19 May – 29 May Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
17 Jun – 27 Jun Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
17 Jul – 27 Jul Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
15 Aug – 25 Aug Not usable: too light (twilight or midnight sun) Good: in season
13 Sept – 23 Sept Good: in season Good: in season
13 Oct – 23 Oct Good: in season Off season
11 Nov – 21 Nov Good: in season Off season
11 Dec – 21 Dec 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