What is the moon phase tonight in Tokyo?

Tonight's moon phase for Tokyo is displayed in real time on MoonSync. The page loads with Tokyo's coordinates (35.7°, 139.7°) and shows the current moon illumination percentage, lunar age (days since new moon), moonrise and moonset times, and the moon's position above Tokyo's horizon. All calculations run client-side — no location data is sent anywhere.

When is the next full moon visible from Tokyo?

MoonSync's lunar calendar shows the full moon phase progression for any date and location, including Tokyo. Full moons occur approximately every 29.53 days. At 35.7° latitude, full moons near the winter solstice rise at their highest point in Tokyo's sky, while full moons near the summer solstice stay lower on the horizon — this seasonal variation is why winter full moons appear more dramatic from Tokyo.

How does the moon's phase affect stargazing in Tokyo?

Moon phase is the single most important factor for stargazing quality at Tokyo. A full moon (100% illumination) brightens the sky enough to obscure all but the brightest stars and makes deep-sky observation nearly impossible. For the best stargazing in Tokyo, plan sessions during the 7 days around New Moon when illumination is below 15%. Use MoonSync to find the next New Moon date, then use the Twilight Calculator to check when astronomical darkness begins.

Why does moonrise time change each day in Tokyo?

The moon rises approximately 50 minutes later each day as seen from Tokyo because the moon orbits Earth at about 1 km/s, moving approximately 13° eastward per day against the background stars. Since Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours (15°/hour), the extra 13° of rotation takes roughly 50 minutes. This daily delay explains why the moon is sometimes visible in Tokyo's daytime sky and why moonrise can occur at any hour of the day or night.

Moon data for Tokyo

Moon Phase & Moonrise Times Tokyo — MoonSync · FastTool

How Moon Phases Work at Tokyo's Latitude

Moon Phases Visible from Tokyo

From Tokyo at latitude 35.7°, the moon's appearance follows the same 29.53-day synodic cycle visible worldwide — all 8 phases from New Moon through Full Moon and back. However, Tokyo's mid-latitude latitude affects the moon's maximum altitude in the sky. The moon can reach up to 82.9° altitude when crossing the meridian near summer solstice, and only 25.7° near winter solstice. This seasonal variation determines how high the moon appears above Tokyo's horizon and affects lunar photography planning.

Just 60 km west of Tokyo's skyline, the Okutama region offers Bortle 3-4 skies where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye on clear nights. This proximity to genuine dark skies in one of the world's largest metropolitan areas is vanishingly rare — actively promoted by NAOJ's Mitaka Campus through public stargazing programs.

NASA Moon Phase Reference

Moonrise & Moonset Times at Tokyo

The moon rises approximately 50 minutes later each day as seen from Tokyo. This daily delay occurs because the moon orbits Earth eastward at about 1 km/s, moving roughly 13° per day against the background stars. At Tokyo's latitude (35.7°), the moon's rise and set positions along the horizon shift seasonally — rising further north in summer and further south in winter. MoonSync calculates exact moonrise and moonset times for Tokyo using real-time ephemeris data.

The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan in Mitaka, Tokyo, has been tracking celestial objects since 1878, making it one of Asia's oldest continuous astronomical institutions. Its 20-cm refractor discovered the asteroid 'Tokyo' in 1918, and its solar tower telescope still monitors sunspot activity daily from the heart of the metropolis.

USNO Moonrise Data

Moon Illumination & Tokyo's Dark-Sky Planning

For stargazing and astrophotography in Tokyo, moon illumination percentage is the critical number. A Full Moon (100% illuminated) washes out all but the brightest stars and makes deep-sky observation nearly impossible. The 7 days around New Moon (0-15% illumination) provide the best dark-sky window. At 35.7° latitude, combine moon phase with the Twilight Calculator to find nights when both astronomical darkness and minimal moonlight coincide — these 'astrophotographer's golden hours' occur roughly once per month at Tokyo.

IAU — Observing Conditions

Lunar Data Accuracy for Tokyo

MoonSync computes moon phase, illumination, moonrise/moonset times, and lunar age for Tokyo using real-time ephemeris data. Phase illumination is accurate to ±1%. Moonrise and moonset times are calculated from Tokyo's precise coordinates (35.7°, 139.7°) and corrected for atmospheric refraction. The Keplerian orbital model used achieves timing accuracy of approximately ±30 minutes over a synodic month. For sub-minute lunar event timing, consult the USNO Phases of the Moon data service.

USNO Phases of the Moon

96%Illumination

06:30Moonrise

19:38Moonset

PoorPhoto Window

Tonight's Moon Phase

Waxing GibbousLIVE

95.7%

Moon age12.8 days / 29.53

Synodic cycle43.4%

Observer Location

Lat

Lng

Moonrise06:30 AM

Moonset07:38 PM

Moon is above the horizon

Astrophotography Planning

Poor

Bright moonlight washes out faint nebulae and galaxies — switch to lunar and planetary close-ups.

Waxing Gibbous: For lunar close-ups, shoot near the terminator: crescent and quarter phases cast the longest crater shadows.
Pair with astronomical twilight times to lock the darkest sky window

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lunar Coordinated Time (LTC)?: LTC is a proposed Moon-based time standard. Because lunar gravity is weaker (gravitational blueshift) and the Moon's orbital speed is lower (transverse Doppler redshift), Moon clocks run approximately +56.02 µs faster per Earth day than Earth clocks. MoonSync cumulates this offset from J2000.0 (Jan 1, 2000, 12:00 UTC) to display the total LTC lead over UTC at any moment.
Why is the lunar surface temperature so extreme?: The Moon has no atmosphere to distribute or retain heat. In direct sunlight, temperatures reach +127 °C (400 K) at the sub-solar point; on the nightside they fall to −173 °C (100 K) — a 300 °C swing driven purely by the presence or absence of solar radiation. MoonSync estimates temperature using the Stefan–Boltzmann model: T (K) = 400 · sin(altitude)^0.25.
What is a Permanent Shadow Region (PSR)?: PSRs are polar craters on the Moon that have never received direct sunlight, due to the Moon's low axial tilt (1.54°). Temperatures can fall to −230 °C — cold enough to preserve water ice for billions of years. NASA's LCROSS mission (2009) confirmed water ice at the lunar south pole. MoonSync classifies any polar site (|lat| ≥ 87°) with negative solar altitude as a PSR.
How accurate are MoonSync's calculations?: MoonSync uses simplified Keplerian orbital elements and geometric optics suitable for education and illustration — not for navigation. Earth–Moon distance accuracy is ±3,000 km; LTC offset uses NASA's 2023 value of +56.0205 µs/day; phase timing drifts ≈±30 min over a synodic month. For navigation-grade results, consult JPL Horizons or USNO data.
When will the moon rise and set at my location?: MoonSync calculates moonrise and moonset times using your browser's location (or manually entered coordinates). The Moon rises roughly 50 minutes later each day due to its eastward orbital motion. Moonrise/moonset times depend on your latitude, the Moon's declination, and the current lunar phase. MoonSync uses real-time ephemeris data to compute accurate rise/set times and shows whether the Moon is currently above or below your horizon.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moon Data in Tokyo

What is the moon phase tonight in Tokyo?: Tonight's moon phase for Tokyo is displayed in real time on MoonSync. The page loads with Tokyo's coordinates (35.7°, 139.7°) and shows the current moon illumination percentage, lunar age (days since new moon), moonrise and moonset times, and the moon's position above Tokyo's horizon. All calculations run client-side — no location data is sent anywhere.
When is the next full moon visible from Tokyo?: MoonSync's lunar calendar shows the full moon phase progression for any date and location, including Tokyo. Full moons occur approximately every 29.53 days. At 35.7° latitude, full moons near the winter solstice rise at their highest point in Tokyo's sky, while full moons near the summer solstice stay lower on the horizon — this seasonal variation is why winter full moons appear more dramatic from Tokyo.
How does the moon's phase affect stargazing in Tokyo?: Moon phase is the single most important factor for stargazing quality at Tokyo. A full moon (100% illumination) brightens the sky enough to obscure all but the brightest stars and makes deep-sky observation nearly impossible. For the best stargazing in Tokyo, plan sessions during the 7 days around New Moon when illumination is below 15%. Use MoonSync to find the next New Moon date, then use the Twilight Calculator to check when astronomical darkness begins.
Why does moonrise time change each day in Tokyo?: The moon rises approximately 50 minutes later each day as seen from Tokyo because the moon orbits Earth at about 1 km/s, moving approximately 13° eastward per day against the background stars. Since Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours (15°/hour), the extra 13° of rotation takes roughly 50 minutes. This daily delay explains why the moon is sometimes visible in Tokyo's daytime sky and why moonrise can occur at any hour of the day or night.

30-Day Observation Planner

Date	Sunrise	Sunset	Twilight End	Moon Illum.	Dark Window
Oct 24Today	20:56	07:57	08:53	96%	11h 7m
Oct 25	20:57	07:56	08:52	99%	11h 9m
Oct 26	20:58	07:54	08:50	100%	11h 11m
Oct 27	20:59	07:53	08:49	98%	11h 13m
Oct 28	21:00	07:52	08:48	93%	11h 15m
Oct 29	21:01	07:51	08:47	86%	11h 17m
Oct 30	21:02	07:50	08:46	77%	11h 19m
Oct 31	21:02	07:49	08:45	67%	11h 21m
Nov 1	21:03	07:48	08:44	55%	11h 22m
Nov 2	21:04	07:47	08:44	44%	11h 24m
Nov 3	21:05	07:46	08:43	32%	11h 26m
Nov 4	21:06	07:45	08:42	22%	11h 28m
Nov 5	21:07	07:44	08:41	14%	11h 30m
Nov 6	21:08	07:43	08:40	7%	11h 31m
Nov 7	21:09	07:42	08:39	3%	11h 33m
Nov 8	21:10	07:41	08:39	1%	11h 35m
Nov 9	21:11	07:41	08:38	0%	11h 36m
Nov 10	21:12	07:40	08:37	2%	11h 38m
Nov 11	21:13	07:39	08:37	5%	11h 39m
Nov 12	21:14	07:38	08:36	10%	11h 41m
Nov 13	21:15	07:38	08:35	16%	11h 43m
Nov 14	21:16	07:37	08:35	24%	11h 44m
Nov 15	21:17	07:36	08:34	32%	11h 45m
Nov 16	21:18	07:36	08:34	41%	11h 47m
Nov 17	21:19	07:35	08:33	51%	11h 48m
Nov 18	21:20	07:34	08:33	61%	11h 50m
Nov 19	21:21	07:34	08:32	71%	11h 51m
Nov 20	21:22	07:33	08:32	80%	11h 52m
Nov 21	21:23	07:33	08:31	88%	11h 54m
Nov 22	21:24	07:32	08:31	94%	11h 55m