Moonrise and Moonset Calculator: Track Moon Times Today with Precision

Understanding moon times today has never been easier. Our moonrise and moonset calculator provides precise lunar event times for any date and location, helping astronomers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts plan their activities around the moon’s schedule. Whether you need to know the moonrise time tonight or want to track tomorrow moonrise time, this free tool delivers instant, reliable results.

What Is a Moonrise and Moonset Calculator?

A moonrise and moonset calculator is an astronomical tool that computes the exact times when the moon appears above and dips below your local horizon. Unlike static moon phase calendars, this dynamic calculator accounts for your specific geographic coordinates and time zone to deliver personalized moon times today. The tool calculates not only moonrise time and moonset time today but also the lunar transit—the moment when the moon reaches its highest point in the sky.

The calculator uses advanced celestial mechanics based on the moon’s orbital position, your latitude and longitude, and atmospheric refraction corrections. This ensures you get accurate moonrise times down to the minute, making it invaluable for planning nighttime photography sessions, tidal predictions, or simply enjoying the beauty of moon rising and setting.

How Does the Moon Calculator Work?

Our moonrise time calculator employs truncated Meeus lunar algorithms—the same mathematical models used by professional observatories. Here’s how the calculation process works:

1. You enter your observation date and location coordinates (latitude and longitude)
2. The system computes the moon’s celestial position using its right ascension and declination
3. It converts these coordinates to local altitude and azimuth relative to your horizon
4. The calculator samples the moon’s altitude throughout the day and detects horizon crossings
5. Linear interpolation refines the exact moonrise and moonset times
6. Results are converted from UTC to your selected IANA time zone, accounting for daylight saving time

This scientific approach ensures that when you check what time is moonrise today or what time is moon rise today, you receive data accurate to within a few minutes for typical locations. The calculator also identifies edge cases at polar latitudes where the moon may remain above or below the horizon for extended periods.

Key Features of Our Free Moonrise Calculator

Instant Geolocation

Click “Use my location” to automatically fill your coordinates using your device’s GPS—no manual entry needed to find moonrise times today.

Global Time Zone Support

Select from hundreds of IANA time zones worldwide. The calculator auto-detects your zone and handles DST transitions seamlessly.

Complete Lunar Data

View moonrise, transit (culmination), and moonset in one calculation. Also displays altitude and azimuth angles at each event.

Historical & Future Dates

Calculate moon times for any past or future date—perfect for planning trips or analyzing historical astronomical events.

Dark Mode Toggle

Switch between light and dark themes with a single click. Your preference is saved automatically for future visits.

Mobile Responsive

Works flawlessly on smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Calculate moonrise time on any device, anywhere.

Understanding Moonrise and Moonset Times

When people search for moonrise and moonset, they often want to understand the moon’s daily pattern. Unlike the sun’s relatively consistent rise and set times throughout a month, the moon’s schedule shifts dramatically—approximately 50 minutes later each day. This occurs because the moon orbits Earth while Earth rotates, creating a compounding effect on observed moon times today.

The moonrise time tomorrow will typically occur about 30 to 70 minutes later than today, depending on the moon’s orbital phase and your latitude. During a new moon, moonrise coincides roughly with sunrise, while a full moon rises around sunset. These patterns influence everything from nocturnal wildlife behavior to ocean tides.

How to Use the Moonrise and Moonset Calculator

Using this free tool requires just three simple steps:

1. Enter Your Location: Type your latitude and longitude coordinates, or click the “Use my location” button to auto-fill from your device’s GPS. Accuracy to six decimal places ensures precise moonrise times.
2. Select Date and Time Zone: Choose the observation date and confirm your time zone. The calculator defaults to today’s date and auto-detects your zone, but you can adjust both for any location worldwide.
3. Calculate and Review: Click the “Calculate” button to instantly receive moonrise time, transit time, and moonset time today. The results include precise timestamps plus the moon’s altitude and azimuth angles at each event.

For advanced users, the azimuth tells you the compass direction where the moon will appear (0° = North, 90° = East, 180° = South, 270° = West), while the altitude indicates the angle above the horizon. These details help you plan photography compositions or telescope observations.

Common Questions About Moon Times

Many users ask, “What time is moonrise today?” or “What time will the moonrise tonight?” The answer depends entirely on your location and date. Unlike solar noon, which occurs at roughly the same clock time each day for a given longitude, lunar events shift continuously. This is why a dedicated moonrise calculator is essential—static tables can’t account for your exact coordinates or real-time date.

Another frequent question involves the difference between moonrise and moon rising and setting as a general concept. The former refers to the specific event time, while the latter describes the entire process of the moon’s appearance, arc across the sky, and disappearance. Our calculator focuses on precise event timing, giving you actionable data rather than general descriptions.

Tides and Moon Times

Coastal residents particularly benefit from understanding the relationship between moon times and tides. Although tides are complex and influenced by coastal geography, there’s a strong correlation between lunar transit and high tide. Knowing the time of moonset today can help predict when tidal currents will be strongest.

Why Choose This Free Moonrise Calculator?

Unlike subscription-based astronomy apps or limited online tools, our moonrise and moonset calculator offers completely free, unlimited calculations with professional-grade accuracy. There are no ads, no account requirements, and no hidden limitations. The tool works entirely in your browser, processing all calculations locally for instant results without sending your data to external servers.

The calculator’s scientific foundation ensures reliability—it’s not a simplified approximation but a proper implementation of lunar position algorithms used in astronomical research. Whether you’re checking moonrise times for tonight’s meteor shower or planning a month-long photography expedition, you can trust the precision of our results.