This webcam allows you to watch the live broadcast of the moon phase online. You can find out the percentage of moon illumination in real-time today, as well as see today’s date and time in Greenwich.
Moon phases are constantly changing due to the moon’s illumination by the sun, influenced by the relative positions of the moon, Earth, and sun, as well as the moon’s orbit around the Earth. The complete cycle of lunar phases takes 29 days, with variations due to the elliptical shape of the moon’s orbit. The moon phases are divided into: new moon (moon not visible), young moon (appearance of the moon after the new moon as a growing crescent), first quarter (growing moon from crescent to half), waxing gibbous (until full moon), full moon (entire surface of the moon fully illuminated), waning gibbous (from full moon to last quarter), last quarter (second half of the moon illuminated), and old moon (waning moon until new moon). During the young and old moon phases, there is a phenomenon of earthshine on the unlit part of the moon.
Interesting facts include: full moon usually occurs once a month, but due to the speed of phase changes being faster than a calendar month, there can be two full moons in one month, known as a “blue moon.” Analysts from the investment bank “Macquarie Securities” have concluded that moon phases affect stock markets based on analysis. It has also been observed that moon phases influence the level of violence.