Wednesday July 2, 2025

First Quarter Moon

The moon will complete the first quarter of its orbit around Earth, measuring from the previous new moon, on Wednesday, July 2 at 3:30 p.m. EDT or 12:30
p.m. PDT, which converts to 19:30 UT. The 90 degree angle formed by the Earth, sun, and moon at that time will cause us to see our natural satellite half- illuminated on its eastern side. At first quarter, the moon always rises
around mid-day and sets around midnight, allowing it to be seen in the afternoon daytime sky, too. The evenings surrounding the first quarter phase are the best ones for viewing the lunar terrain when it is dramatically lit by low-angled sunlight. See the Lunar X and V Several times a year near the
moon's first quarter phase, small clair- obscur effect features on the moon called the Lunar X and the Lunar V become visible in strong binoculars and backyard telescopes for a few hours. The Lunar X, a prominent X-shaped
pattern, appears when the rims of the craters Purbach, la Caille, and Blanchinus are illuminated from a particular angle of sunlight. Look for it beside the terminator about one third of the way up from the southern pole of the Moon. The Lunar V forms along the northern span of the terminator near the crater Ukert. On Wednesday, July 2 the features are predicted to start developing by about 9 p.m. EDT (or 01:00 UT on Thursday, July 3), peak in intensity at around 10:15 p.m. EDT (or 02:15 UT on July 3), and then gradually fade out toward midnight Eastern time. The event will occur during waning daylight for observers in western North America - but you can observe the moon in a telescope during the daytime, as long as you take care to avoid aiming it near the sun. The Lunar X will be visible anywhere on Earth where the moon is shining, especially in a dark sky, between 01:00 and 04:00 UT on July 3.

(Data courtesy of Starry Night)
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