During the light of day, it's the sun that gets all the credit. The night is traditionally the moon's time to shine but the moon can also be visible during the day exactly why is it we can see it during daylight hours?
In a recent post on X, the self-proclaimed 'post-apocalyptic warlord' Stew Peters shared an image of the Moon visible in the daytime, sparking curiosity about this celestial phenomenon.
The caption reads: "This full Moon is out in the middle of the day. That's not supposed to happen."
The moon is constantly orbiting Earth when it moves around to certain spots in the sky and at the right time light from the sun is reflected making the moon glow, like the sun the moon rises in the east and sets in the west.
The moon also orbits the earth once every 27.322 days when it's in the right spot in the sky and reflecting enough light we can see it during the day.
The moon has eight distinct phases each with a different brightness and appearance so here are some of the best times to look for the moon.
When it's warning meaning it's shrinking from one night to the next it's best to look for it in the morning after sunrise when the moon is waxing meaning it's growing from one night to the next you can look for it in the late afternoon or evening before sunset during a news moon the side of the moon that's lit by sunlight isn't facing us we can't see it.
The sun's light may brighten your days but don't forget to look for the moon at the right time and place.
Additionally, contrary to the common misconception that the Moon is exclusive to nighttime, planetary geologist and NASA scientist Sarah Noble sheds light on the reality.
Noble explains: "During a full Moon, the Moon is opposite the Sun in the sky. That's why we can see the full face of the Moon reflecting sunlight."
According to Noble, the Moon spends "almost as much time in the daytime sky as the night." In a NASA video, she clarifies that during a full Moon, our lunar neighbor is positioned opposite the Sun in the sky, allowing us to witness its completely illuminated face reflecting sunlight.
Noble goes on to explain that the Moon rises just as the Sun sets on one day of the month due to Earth's rotation. In the days leading up to a full Moon, observers can spot the almost-full Moon rising in the eastern sky before sunset
"In the days before a full Moon, if you look in the eastern sky, you can find the almost full Moon rising before the sun sets," Noble continues. "And the days after a full Moon, you can look in the western sky and find the Moon setting after the Sun has come up."
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