slide 1 - Time-lapse video of the ocean tide coming onto a beach.

How the Moon Affects Earth's Oceans

From hundreds of thousands of miles away, the Moon is part of your day at the beach. Here’s how. Video: Tides rise and fall in Acadia National Park. Credit: National Park Service More ›

slide 2 - Illustration with question marks and a thinking emoji over the moon surface

Lunar Photography Guide

Whether you have a phone or a professional camera, here’s how to take great Moon photos.
Photo credit: Bill Dunford

Explore the Moon

Earth’s ocean tides result from an intricate dance of forces and motions. The Moon plays a starring role.

Tides

Like Earth, the Moon has a day side and a night side, which change as the Moon rotates.

Moon Phases

Between four and seven times a year, Earth, Moon and Sun line up just right to create the cosmic-scale shadow show known as an eclipse.

Composite of lunar eclipse phases over night sky

Eclipses

When the full moon is a little bit closer to us than usual, it appears especially large and bright in the sky.

A supermoon partially obscured by treeline in the foreground.

Supermoons

Why can I see the Moon during the day? And other frequently asked questions about our Moon.

Reiner Gamma

Lunar Lava Lamp

This false color image depicts one of the strangest spots on the Moon. Just announced as the landing site for several new science experiments, Reiner Gamma is the most prominent of the Moon’s ‘swirls.’

Earth and Sun from the Moon's South Pole

Animation of the Earth as viewed from the Moon's South Pole.

A visualization showing the unusual motions of the Earth and Sun as viewed from the South Pole of the Moon.

News from NASA

NASA Outlines Challenges, Progress for Artemis Moon Missions

In the first major Artemis update under the Biden Administration, NASA leadership reiterate a long-term commitment to exploring the Moon and sending astronauts to Mars.
NASA Selects Intuitive Machines for New Lunar Science Delivery

Rovers, science instruments, and a technology demonstration are scheduled to reach lunar swirl Reiner Gamma in 2024.
An Almost Total Lunar Eclipse

On November 19, 2021 the Moon passes into the shadow of the Earth, creating a partial lunar eclipse so deep that it can reasonably be called almost total.