If you want to post today’s moon phase as an emoji — in a caption, a text, a TikTok bio, or just because you’re curious what the moon looks like tonight — you need two things: the current lunar phase, and the emoji that matches it. This guide gives you both, plus the complete chart mapping every moon phase to its Unicode emoji so you can always find the right one.
Today’s date is June 28, 2026. The current moon phase is Waxing Gibbous, with the moon 98% illuminated. The moon emoji for today is �� — the Waxing Gibbous moon emoji. The full moon (Strawberry Moon) arrives tomorrow, June 29, 2026, at 7:57 PM Eastern time.
Today’s Moon Phase Emoji — June 28, 2026
| Detail | Information |
| Date | June 28, 2026 |
| Moon phase | Waxing Gibbous |
| Illumination | 98% |
| Moon age | 13.5 days (since last New Moon) |
| Moon emoji | �� (Waxing Gibbous) |
| Moon sign | Sagittarius |
| Next full moon | June 29, 2026 — Strawberry Moon — 7:57 PM EDT |
| Distance from Earth | ~406,151 km |
Note: This article is updated periodically, but moon phase data changes daily. For a real-time current phase, use the live lookup tools linked at the bottom of this article.
The 8 Moon Phase Emojis: Complete Chart
There are exactly 8 moon phase emojis in the Unicode standard, one for each phase in the lunar cycle. Here is the complete chart:
| Emoji | Phase Name | Illumination | Unicode |
| �� | New Moon | 0% (dark) | U+1F311 |
| �� | Waxing Crescent | 1–49% (right side lit, growing) | U+1F312 |
| �� | First Quarter | 50% (right half lit) | U+1F313 |
| �� | Waxing Gibbous | 51–99% (mostly lit, still growing) | U+1F314 |
| �� | Full Moon | 100% (fully lit) | U+1F315 |
| �� | Waning Gibbous | 51–99% (mostly lit, shrinking) | U+1F316 |
| �� | Last Quarter | 50% (left half lit) | U+1F317 |
| �� | Waning Crescent | 1–49% (left side lit, shrinking) | U+1F318 |
The emoji progression follows the lunar cycle in order: ���������������� — from New Moon back to darkness over 29.5 days. You can copy and paste any of these emojis directly.
How to Match Today’s Moon Phase to the Right Emoji
To find which emoji represents the current moon phase, you need to know two things: which phase it is, and whether the moon is waxing (growing brighter) or waning (shrinking). Here is the simple matching guide:
- New Moon = �� — The moon is not visible. Dark sky. Day 0-1 of the cycle.
- Waxing Crescent = �� — A thin sliver on the right side, growing. Days 1-7.
- First Quarter = �� — The right half is lit. Exactly half. Day ~7.
- Waxing Gibbous = �� — More than half lit, still growing toward Full. Days 7-14.
- Full Moon = �� — Completely lit. Brightest night. Day ~14-15.
- Waning Gibbous = �� — More than half lit, but now shrinking. Days 15-21.
- Last Quarter = �� — The left half is lit. Exactly half. Day ~22.
- Waning Crescent = �� — A thin sliver on the left side, shrinking. Days 22-29.
A quick memory trick: if the lit side is on the RIGHT and the moon looks like a D shape, it is Waxing (growing). If the lit side is on the LEFT and the moon looks like a C shape, it is Waning (shrinking). The words ‘Waxing’ and ‘Waning’ come from Old English — waxing means increasing, waning means decreasing.
Why Do People Search for the Moon Phase Emoji?
Searches for moon phase emojis spike for several distinct reasons:
Social media and captions
Moon phase emojis are among the most used astronomical emojis on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, and Snapchat. A post about a night out, a full moon sighting, a moody late-night vibe, or a spiritual practice often includes the relevant moon emoji. Knowing the exact phase — rather than guessing — makes the emoji feel more intentional and accurate.
Astrology and spiritual practice
People who follow moon cycles for intention-setting, journaling, manifestation, or lunar rituals want to know the precise current phase and its emoji representation. The New Moon and Full Moon are particularly significant dates in these practices, and the emoji is used as a shorthand to indicate where someone is in their lunar routine.
Aesthetic and creative content
Moon emojis are popular in usernames, bios, digital art, and design. Creators want the accurate phase rather than a generic �� (crescent) emoji when they are representing tonight’s actual moon. The difference between �� and �� matters to someone paying attention.
Curiosity and moon-watching
Simple curiosity drives a large share of searches. People look outside, see the moon, wonder what phase it is, and want a quick way to express or share it. The emoji is the fastest shorthand.
Moon Phase Emoji on iPhone, Android, and Keyboard
The 8 moon phase emojis are available on all major platforms and devices:
iPhone (iOS)
On an iPhone, open the emoji keyboard (globe icon or emoji icon on the keyboard bar), go to the Travel and Places category (the compass icon), and scroll down to find the moon phase emojis. All 8 are clustered together. Alternatively, type ‘moon’ in the emoji search bar to see all moon-related emojis at once.
Android
On Android (Samsung, Pixel, or other manufacturers), access the emoji keyboard through the smiley face icon on the keyboard. Navigate to the Nature or Travel category, or use the search function if your keyboard supports it. Type ‘moon’ to filter to moon emojis quickly. The exact path varies by manufacturer keyboard (Samsung Keyboard, Gboard, SwiftKey), but all support the full Unicode moon emoji set.
Mac and Windows
On Mac: press Control + Command + Space to open the emoji picker. Search ‘moon’ to find all 8 phases. On Windows 11: press the Windows key + period (.) or Windows key + semicolon (;) to open the emoji panel. Search ‘moon’ in the search bar.
Copying from this article
The easiest method: copy the emoji you need directly from the chart above. All 8 moon phase emojis render correctly across all modern devices: ����������������
How the Lunar Cycle Works: 29.5 Days
The lunar cycle — the time it takes for the moon to go through all 8 phases — lasts approximately 29.53 days. This is called the synodic month. It is slightly longer than the time it takes the moon to orbit Earth (27.3 days, the sidereal month) because Earth is also moving around the sun, so the moon has to travel a little extra to return to the same position relative to both Earth and the sun.
The 8 phases divide the cycle into segments:
| Phase | Emoji | Approx Day | Duration |
| New Moon | �� | Day 0 | ~1-2 days |
| Waxing Crescent | �� | Days 1-6 | ~6 days |
| First Quarter | �� | Day 7 | ~1-2 days |
| Waxing Gibbous | �� | Days 8-13 | ~6 days |
| Full Moon | �� | Day 14-15 | ~1-2 days |
| Waning Gibbous | �� | Days 16-21 | ~6 days |
| Last Quarter | �� | Day 22 | ~1-2 days |
| Waning Crescent | �� | Days 23-29 | ~6 days |
The four major phases — New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Last Quarter — occur at specific moments in time that are the same for everyone on Earth simultaneously (though converted to local time zones). The four minor phases between them represent spans of time rather than a single moment.
2026 Full Moon Calendar: Upcoming Dates
Here are the remaining full moon dates for 2026, so you know when to expect the �� emoji:
| Date | Full Moon Name | Time (EDT) |
| June 29, 2026 | Strawberry Moon | 7:57 PM |
| July 29, 2026 | Buck Moon | 10:36 AM |
| August 28, 2026 | Sturgeon Moon | 12:19 AM |
| September 26, 2026 | Corn Moon | 12:49 PM |
The Moon Phase Emoji and Zodiac Sign
Beyond the phase itself, the moon also moves through all 12 zodiac signs over the course of each month — spending approximately 2 to 2.5 days in each sign. As of June 28, 2026, the moon is in Sagittarius. This is separate from your sun sign or rising sign — the moon sign for a particular day refers to where the moon is in the zodiac at that moment, and it changes more frequently than any other astrological body.
People who follow lunar astrology pay attention to both the phase (which emoji) and the zodiac placement of the moon. A Waxing Gibbous moon in Sagittarius carries different astrological significance than a Waxing Gibbous moon in Taurus, according to astrological tradition. The phase gives the emoji; the zodiac sign gives the additional contextual layer that astrology practitioners use for planning.
For the moon phase in specific US cities including Chicago, Seattle, Houston, and Hawaii, see our guide to moon phase today by city.
For the spiritual meaning of each moon phase, deer hunting by lunar cycle, and watch phase setting, see our guide to moon phase today — spiritual meaning, deer movement, and watch setting.
For a live, real-time moon phase lookup for any date or location, see timeanddate.com/moon — the most accurate and detailed free moon phase resource.
For the current phase with daily updates including illumination percentage and moon age, see moongiant.com.
Bottom Line
| Today’s emoji (June 28 2026) | �� Waxing Gibbous — 98% illuminated |
| Next full moon | �� June 29, 2026 — Strawberry Moon — 7:57 PM EDT |
| All 8 emojis | ���������������� |
| New Moon | �� — 0% illuminated |
| Waxing Crescent | �� — right sliver, growing |
| First Quarter | �� — right half lit |
| Waxing Gibbous | �� — mostly lit, growing |
| Full Moon | �� — 100% |
| Waning Gibbous | �� — mostly lit, shrinking |
| Last Quarter | �� — left half lit |
| Waning Crescent | �� — left sliver, shrinking |
| Live lookup | timeanddate.com/moon |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is today’s moon phase emoji?
As of June 28, 2026, the moon phase emoji is �� — Waxing Gibbous. The moon is 98% illuminated and one day away from the Full Moon (Strawberry Moon) on June 29. For real-time accuracy beyond this article’s update date, visit timeanddate.com/moon or moongiant.com for the current phase and matching emoji.
What are all the moon phase emojis?
The 8 moon phase emojis in order are: �� New Moon, �� Waxing Crescent, �� First Quarter, �� Waxing Gibbous, �� Full Moon, �� Waning Gibbous, �� Last Quarter, �� Waning Crescent. These 8 emojis correspond to the 8 phases of the 29.5-day lunar cycle.
How do I find the moon phase emoji on my phone?
On iPhone: open the emoji keyboard, go to Travel and Places, and scroll to find all 8 moon phase emojis — or search ‘moon’ in the emoji search bar. On Android: access the emoji keyboard and search ‘moon’ to filter moon emojis. On Windows: press Windows key + period to open the emoji panel and search ‘moon.’ All modern devices support the full Unicode set of 8 moon phase emojis.
Is the moon waxing or waning right now?
As of June 28, 2026, the moon is waxing — it is growing toward the Full Moon. Waxing means the illuminated portion is increasing. The moon will reach Full Moon (100% illuminated) on June 29, 2026, after which it will begin waning (shrinking). The emoji for a waxing moon is �� (crescent), �� (first quarter), or �� (gibbous) depending on how much is lit.
The Science Behind Moon Phase Emojis: Why 8 Phases?
The moon does not actually change shape — it is always a sphere. What changes is how much of its sunlit face is visible from Earth as it orbits. The moon’s orbit is tilted about 5 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit around the sun, which is why we do not have a solar eclipse and lunar eclipse every month.
The 8-phase system is a convenient cultural and scientific division of the continuous cycle into recognizable stages. The four primary phases (New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, Last Quarter) occur at specific astronomical moments. The four secondary phases (Waxing Crescent, Waxing Gibbous, Waning Gibbous, Waning Crescent) are periods between these moments. Unicode’s decision to encode exactly 8 moon phase emojis maps directly to this 8-phase system — one emoji per phase.
Moon Phase Emoji Use Cases: When and Why People Use Each One
�� New Moon emoji
Used to represent: darkness, mystery, new beginnings, invisible things, night with no moonlight, spiritual reset. Common in: astrology posts, manifestation content, new project announcements, minimalist aesthetic content.
�� Waxing Crescent emoji
The classic ‘moon’ emoji most people think of when they think moon. Used for: night vibes, bedtime captions, romantic mood, general night sky content. Often confused with the �� crescent moon emoji — �� is more of a sliver while �� is the decorative crescent symbol.
�� First Quarter emoji
Used for: balance, decision points, halfway there content, the literal half-moon look. Less common in casual use than other moon emojis.
�� Waxing Gibbous emoji — Today (June 28, 2026)
Used for: nearly full moon nights, building energy, almost-there feeling. The �� emoji is less commonly used in casual posts but is the astronomically accurate choice for tonight’s moon.
�� Full Moon emoji
The most used moon phase emoji by far. Associated with: intense feelings, ‘it’s giving full moon energy,’ spiritual peaks, howling at the moon jokes, the classic bright round moon aesthetic. Used widely in werewolf humor, astrology, romantic night content, and general moon enthusiasm.
�� Waning Gibbous emoji
Used for: aftermath, winding down, post-peak energy. Less common in casual use — most people switch from �� directly to �� in their moon emoji vocabulary.
�� Last Quarter emoji
Similar to First Quarter in use — balance, letting go, second half of the journey content. The mirror image of ��.
�� Waning Crescent emoji
Used for: endings, goodbye vibes, exhaustion, final stages. The �� before the darkness of ��. Often used in ‘era ending’ content.
Moon Phase Emoji vs �� Crescent Moon: What Is the Difference?
The �� emoji (Unicode U+1F319, ‘Crescent Moon’) is a decorative symbol rather than a phase-accurate representation. It looks like the classic decorative crescent moon seen on flags (Turkey’s flag, Islam’s symbol), Islamic art, and traditional moon imagery. It does not correspond to any specific phase.
The 8 phase emojis (����������������) are phase-accurate representations showing the illumination pattern of the actual moon. When someone asks ‘what is today’s moon phase emoji,’ they want one of these 8 specific phase emojis rather than the generic �� crescent. For accuracy in representing the real moon, always use the 8-phase set.
Upcoming Moon Phase Dates for Emoji Planning
If you want to match your posts or content to the moon phase in advance, here are the upcoming phase transitions for summer and fall 2026:
• June 29, 2026: �� Full Moon (Strawberry Moon) — 7:57 PM EDT
• July 7, 2026: �� Last Quarter
• July 14, 2026: �� New Moon
• July 21, 2026: �� First Quarter
• July 29, 2026: �� Full Moon (Buck Moon) — 10:36 AM EDT
• August 5, 2026: �� Last Quarter
• August 12, 2026: �� New MoonTo plan moon phase content beyond these dates, NASA’s SKYCAL calendar and timeanddate.com/moon/phases provide the complete schedule for any year.