Why the Moon Rises About 50 Minutes Later Every Day

How moonrise and moonset times work, why they shift each day, and when to expect the Moon at each phase.

4 min read · Sky

The Sun rises at nearly the same time from one day to the next, but the Moon does not. On average it rises about 50 minutes later each day, and sometimes much more or less.

Why moonrise shifts every day

  • While Earth spins once a day, the Moon also moves along its orbit, about 13° eastward across the sky each day. After one full turn, Earth has to rotate a little further to bring the Moon back over the horizon. That extra rotation takes about 50 minutes on average.

  • The actual daily delay varies from roughly half an hour to more than an hour, depending on your latitude and the angle the Moon’s path makes with the horizon at that time of year.

When the Moon is up at each phase

  • New moon: rises and sets with the Sun, so you do not see it.

  • First quarter: rises around midday and sets around midnight, so it is often visible in the afternoon sky.

  • Full moon: rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, so it is up all night.

  • Last quarter: rises around midnight and sets around midday, so it is easy to spot in the morning.

The Harvest Moon effect

Around the September equinox, the Moon’s path makes a shallow angle with the evening horizon at mid-northern latitudes. For a few nights around that full moon, it rises only about 20 to 30 minutes later each evening instead of 50. This is the origin of the Harvest Moon’s name.

Days with no moonrise

Because each moonrise is later than the last, it eventually slips past midnight. About once a month there is a calendar day with no moonrise at all, and another with no moonset. Moonrise tables are not broken when they show a dash.

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FAQ

The Moon moves about 13° along its orbit every day, so Earth has to rotate roughly 50 extra minutes to bring it back above the horizon.

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