Moonrise and moonset times: which night is it?
Short answer: always read a moonrise or moonset time together with its date. The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, so the set that follows tonight's rise is usually tomorrow morning. A table that shows "Rise 9:00 PM, Set 10:30 AM" on one line is describing two different calendar days.
Why people get it wrong
A common complaint about moon apps: "If the calendar says the full moon is on Tuesday, and moonrise is at 9:00 PM, you don't know if they mean Monday or Tuesday." Many apps list the first rise and first set after midnight, so the set you see can belong to the previous night's moon.
How to read it
- Find the rise time for the evening you care about, with its date.
- Look for the next set after that rise — it is usually the following morning.
- Between those two times the moon is above your horizon (clouds and buildings permitting).
Moonrise depends on your city, not your GPS
Rise and set times shift a few minutes across a metro area, so a nearby city is accurate enough. You don't need to share your exact location to get good times.
An app that prints the date
Moonvane shows every rise and set with its date ("Moonrise 5:22 PM · Mon, Oct 26") and an arc that shows where the moon is right now.
FAQ
Why does the moon rise later every day?
The moon moves about 13° east along its orbit each day, so Earth has to turn a little longer — roughly 50 minutes — before your horizon catches up with it.
Can there be a day with no moonrise?
Yes. Because each rise is about 50 minutes later, once a month the rise slips past midnight and that calendar day has no moonrise at all.
Why is the full moon up all night?
At full moon the moon is opposite the Sun, so it rises around sunset and sets around sunrise.