This page shows the current moon phase for Cape Town, South Africa. The moon phase is calculated using the SunCalc astronomy library, which accounts for Cape Town's latitude (-33.9249 degrees) and longitude (18.4241 degrees) to determine the moon's position relative to the horizon.
The moon phase updates in real time on the interactive page above. You can see the current illumination percentage, the moon's age in the lunar cycle, and the times for moonrise and moonset in Cape Town today.
Moonrise and moonset times in Cape Town vary daily because the moon orbits Earth at a different rate than Earth rotates. The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day on average. The exact times depend on the moon's orbital position relative to Cape Town's coordinates.
The moon goes through a complete cycle of phases every 29.53 days, called a synodic month. The four primary phases are new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. Between these are the intermediate phases: waxing crescent, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous, and waning crescent.
The phase you see depends on the angle between the sun, Earth, and moon. A new moon occurs when the moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side facing Earth is dark. A full moon occurs when Earth is between the sun and the moon, so the entire sunlit side faces Earth.
The illumination percentage shown on this page tells you how much of the moon's visible surface is lit by the sun. At new moon the illumination is 0 percent, at first and last quarter it is about 50 percent, and at full moon it is 100 percent.
What is the moon phase today in Cape Town?
The current moon phase in Cape Town is calculated using the SunCalc astronomy library, which accounts for Cape Town's latitude (-33.9249°) and longitude (18.4241°). The moon phase updates in real time on the page above.
What time does the moon rise in Cape Town?
Moonrise times in Cape Town vary daily and depend on the moon's orbital position relative to Cape Town's coordinates. The moonrise time for today is shown on the page above.
Can I see the moon from Cape Town?
Yes, the moon is visible from Cape Town just like anywhere else on Earth. The best viewing times are near moonrise and moonset, when the moon appears largest due to the moon illusion.