Waxing Crescent
22%
- Rise
- 9:11 AM
- Set
- —
Moon Phases May 2025 in Orange, California
Orange, California, United States
Daily moon phases, illumination, moonrise and moonset for Orange, in local time (America/Los_Angeles). Next full moon: Flower Moon on Monday, May 12.
Orange · Thursday, May 1, 2025 Today
Waxing Crescent
- Illumination
- 21.7%
- Moon age
- 4 days
- Distance
- 371,442 km
- Moonrise
- 9:11 AM
- Moonset
- —
- Highest
- 4:54 PM
at . Next: First Quarter on Sun, May 4 at 6:51 AM. Flower Moon in 11 days.
The waxing crescent appears low in the western sky after sunset in the days following new moon, a sliver that grows a little each evening.
Click any day in the calendar or pick a date above to see its details here.
May 2025 calendar
Waxing Crescent
32%
- Rise
- 10:18 AM
- Set
- 12:34 AM
Waxing Crescent
42%
- Rise
- 11:26 AM
- Set
- 1:22 AM
First Quarter
- Rise
- 12:31 PM
- Set
- 2:00 AM
Waxing Gibbous
62%
- Rise
- 1:32 PM
- Set
- 2:32 AM
Waxing Gibbous
72%
- Rise
- 2:31 PM
- Set
- 2:59 AM
Waxing Gibbous
80%
- Rise
- 3:27 PM
- Set
- 3:24 AM
Waxing Gibbous
87%
- Rise
- 4:22 PM
- Set
- 3:47 AM
Waxing Gibbous
93%
- Rise
- 5:18 PM
- Set
- 4:10 AM
Waxing Gibbous
97%
- Rise
- 6:14 PM
- Set
- 4:35 AM
Waxing Gibbous
99%
- Rise
- 7:12 PM
- Set
- 5:02 AM
Flower Moon
- Rise
- 8:12 PM
- Set
- 5:32 AM
Waning Gibbous
99%
- Rise
- 9:11 PM
- Set
- 6:08 AM
Waning Gibbous
96%
- Rise
- 10:09 PM
- Set
- 6:50 AM
Waning Gibbous
91%
- Rise
- 11:03 PM
- Set
- 7:39 AM
Waning Gibbous
85%
- Rise
- 11:51 PM
- Set
- 8:34 AM
Waning Gibbous
77%
- Rise
- —
- Set
- 9:35 AM
Waning Gibbous
68%
- Rise
- 12:33 AM
- Set
- 10:40 AM
Waning Gibbous
58%
- Rise
- 1:09 AM
- Set
- 11:45 AM
Last Quarter
- Rise
- 1:42 AM
- Set
- 12:50 PM
Waning Crescent
36%
- Rise
- 2:11 AM
- Set
- 1:56 PM
Waning Crescent
25%
- Rise
- 2:40 AM
- Set
- 3:04 PM
Waning Crescent
16%
- Rise
- 3:09 AM
- Set
- 4:13 PM
Waning Crescent
8%
- Rise
- 3:40 AM
- Set
- 5:26 PM
Waning Crescent
3%
- Rise
- 4:16 AM
- Set
- 6:42 PM
New Moon
- Rise
- 4:59 AM
- Set
- 8:00 PM
Waxing Crescent
1%
- Rise
- 5:51 AM
- Set
- 9:13 PM
Waxing Crescent
4%
- Rise
- 6:51 AM
- Set
- 10:18 PM
Waxing Crescent
10%
- Rise
- 7:59 AM
- Set
- 11:12 PM
Waxing Crescent
18%
- Rise
- 9:09 AM
- Set
- 11:56 PM
Waxing Crescent
27%
- Rise
- 10:17 AM
- Set
- —
Times are local to Orange (America/Los_Angeles). A dash means the moon does not rise or set on that date.
Moon phases in May 2025
| Phase | Local date and time | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| First Quarter | Sun, May 4 at 6:51 AM | May 4, 13:51 |
| Full Moon · Flower Moon | Mon, May 12 at 9:56 AM | May 12, 16:56 |
| Last Quarter | Tue, May 20 at 4:58 AM | May 20, 11:58 |
| New Moon | Mon, May 26 at 8:02 PM | May 27, 03:02 |
About the Waxing Crescent
The waxing crescent appears low in the western sky after sunset in the days following new moon, a sliver that grows a little each evening. It sets within a few hours of the Sun, so it is only visible in the early evening. The lit edge always faces the Sun, which is why the horns of the crescent point away from the sunset.
Around this phase the dark portion of the disc often glows faintly with earthshine, sunlight reflected from Earth's oceans and clouds.
Lore and folklore
The young crescent has stood for new life and growth for thousands of years, from Mesopotamian seals to the crescents on modern flags. In rural tradition it was the time to start projects, sow leafy crops and cut timber that should not rot. Seeing the new crescent over the right shoulder was lucky; over the left, less so.
Sailors called a crescent tipped like a bowl a wet moon that would hold water and bring rain, or a dry moon if it could spill.
Trivia
- The youngest crescent ever photographed was well under a day old, only hours after new moon.
- From the tropics the crescent lies almost flat like a smile, because the ecliptic stands steeply from the horizon.
- The crescent-and-star symbol predates Islam by centuries; it appeared on coins of Byzantium.
- The Moon moves about 13 degrees eastward against the stars each day, roughly its own width every hour.
Select any day in the calendar to read about its phase.
This month's full moon: the Flower Moon
May is when flowers are abundant across much of the northern hemisphere, and the full moon carries their name.
The Corn Planting Moon and Milk Moon are other traditional names. In Buddhist countries the May full moon is Vesak, marking the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
Lore
May's abundance of blossom gave the moon its name, and in Buddhist countries this is the moon of Vesak, celebrating the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha. European lore called it the Milk Moon, when cows first went out to fresh pasture and milk flowed freely.
Trivia
- The Flower Moon is the first full moon of meteorological summer in the northern hemisphere.
- In 2026 it falls on May 1, leaving room for a second full moon, a Blue Moon, on May 31.
- Vesak is fixed to this full moon, so its date moves each year like Easter.
Gardening by the Moon in May 2025
- May 1 to May 4 · Leafy crops: Sow leafy crops and above-ground annuals whose seeds form outside the fruit: lettuce, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, celery, herbs. Transplant seedlings. Mow to encourage growth.
- May 5 to May 12 · Fruiting crops: Sow above-ground crops whose seeds form inside the fruit: beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, melons. Graft, repot and sow lawns.
- May 13 to May 19 · Root crops: Plant root crops and anything that overwinters: carrots, beets, potatoes, onions, garlic, bulbs, perennials, trees and shrubs. Prune to slow growth.
- May 20 to May 26 · Rest and tend: Rest days for the soil: weed, cultivate, turn compost, harvest crops for storage, prune to discourage regrowth, prepare beds. Avoid sowing.
- May 27 to May 31 · Leafy crops: Sow leafy crops and above-ground annuals whose seeds form outside the fruit: lettuce, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, celery, herbs. Transplant seedlings. Mow to encourage growth.
Full planting calendar for May › · How gardening by the moon works
How to read this moon calendar
Each day shows the Moon as it looks from Orange at midday local time, with the illuminated percentage, moonrise and moonset. Days with a principal phase show the exact local time the phase occurs. Because the Moon moves about 50 minutes later each day, roughly once a month there is a date with no moonrise or no moonset at all.
The eight phases of the Moon
New Moon
The Moon sits between Earth and the Sun. Its lit side faces away from us, so it is invisible in the night sky. A new lunar month begins.
Waxing Crescent
A thin sliver grows each evening after sunset. Look low in the west shortly after dusk.
First Quarter
Half the disc is lit. The Moon rises around midday and sets around midnight, so it is high in the sky at sunset.
Waxing Gibbous
More than half lit and growing. It rises in the afternoon and shines most of the night.
Full Moon
The whole face is lit. It rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. Each full moon carries a traditional name.
Waning Gibbous
The lit portion shrinks. It rises after sunset and is still up in the morning sky.
Last Quarter
Half lit again, on the opposite side. It rises around midnight and is best seen in the early morning.
Waning Crescent
A thinning sliver before dawn in the east, fading toward the next new moon.