May 2026 Moonrise, Moonset & Phases in Cape Town, South Africa
Current Time (Local): 02:21:13
Moon Phase: Above horizon
Illumination: 81.3%
Moon Direction: 37.81° NE
Moon Altitude: 45.0°
Moon Distance: 380,617 km
Angular Diameter: 31.1'
Moon Age: 19.6 days
Next Moonrise: Today, 23:05
Next Moonset: N/A
Next New Moon: 12 Aug 2026, 19:36
Next Full Moon: 28 Aug 2026, 06:18
Next Perigee (closest): 10 Aug 2026 (363,285 km)
Next Apogee (farthest): 22 Aug 2026 (404,641 km)
The moon over Cape Town is in its Waning Gibbous phase, 81.3% illuminated. The next full moon is 28 Aug 2026, 06:18, and the next new moon is 12 Aug 2026, 19:36.
Moonrise, Moonset and Moon Phase Calendar in Cape Town, May 2026
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| May | Moon | Moonrise/Moonset | Meridian Passing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonrise | Moonset | Moonrise | Time | Distance (km) | Illumination | ||
| 1 |
🌕 at 19:23
|
07:01
↑
(249° WSW)
|
17:41
↑
(113° ESE)
|
00:02
(71.7°)
|
394,037 | 99.8% | |
| 2 |
08:01
↑
(244° WSW)
|
18:15
↑
(118° ESE)
|
00:47
(76.4°)
|
396,278 | 99.4% | ||
| 3 |
09:00
↑
(240° WSW)
|
18:53
↑
(122° ESE)
|
01:34
(80.1°)
|
398,032 | 97.2% | ||
| 4 |
09:58
↑
(237° WSW)
|
19:38
↑
(124° SE)
|
02:23
(82.7°)
|
399,158 | 93.3% | ||
| 5 |
10:52
↑
(236° SW)
|
20:28
↑
(124° SE)
|
03:14
(84.0°)
|
399,494 | 87.9% | ||
| 6 |
11:41
↑
(236° WSW)
|
21:23
↑
(123° ESE)
|
04:06
(83.8°)
|
398,885 | 81.1% | ||
| 7 |
12:25
↑
(239° WSW)
|
22:22
↑
(120° ESE)
|
04:56
(82.3°)
|
397,207 | 73.2% | ||
| 8 |
13:02
↑
(243° WSW)
|
23:22
↑
(115° ESE)
|
05:46
(79.5°)
|
394,400 | 64.4% | ||
| 9 |
🌗 at 23:10
|
-
|
13:36
↑
(248° WSW)
|
06:33
(75.5°)
|
390,488 | 54.8% | |
| 10 |
00:23
↑
(109° ESE)
|
14:05
↑
(254° WSW)
|
07:18
(70.5°)
|
385,599 | 44.8% | ||
| 11 |
01:24
↑
(103° ESE)
|
14:33
↑
(261° W)
|
08:03
(64.7°)
|
379,974 | 34.6% | ||
| 12 |
02:26
↑
(95° E)
|
15:00
↑
(269° W)
|
08:48
(58.3°)
|
373,967 | 24.9% | ||
| 13 |
03:30
↑
(87° E)
|
15:28
↑
(277° W)
|
09:34
(51.5°)
|
368,035 | 16.0% | ||
| 14 |
04:37
↑
(79° ENE)
|
15:58
↑
(285° WNW)
|
10:22
(44.8°)
|
362,698 | 8.5% | ||
| 15 |
05:49
↑
(71° ENE)
|
16:33
↑
(292° WNW)
|
11:15
(38.4°)
|
358,473 | 3.2% | ||
| 16 |
🌑 at 22:00
|
07:04
↑
(64° ENE)
|
17:16
↑
(299° WNW)
|
12:13
(32.9°)
|
355,797 | 0.4% | |
| 17 |
08:21
↑
(58° ENE)
|
18:07
↑
(303° WNW)
|
13:16
(29.0°)
|
354,935 | 0.7% | ||
| 18 |
09:36
↑
(55° NE)
|
19:09
↑
(305° NW)
|
14:23
(27.2°)
|
355,927 | 4.0% | ||
| 19 |
10:43
↑
(56° NE)
|
20:19
↑
(304° WNW)
|
15:30
(27.7°)
|
358,581 | 10.1% | ||
| 20 |
11:38
↑
(58° ENE)
|
21:33
↑
(300° WNW)
|
16:33
(30.4°)
|
362,532 | 18.3% | ||
| 21 |
12:24
↑
(63° ENE)
|
22:45
↑
(294° WNW)
|
17:31
(34.7°)
|
367,332 | 28.1% | ||
| 22 |
13:00
↑
(70° ENE)
|
23:53
↑
(287° WNW)
|
18:23
(40.1°)
|
372,531 | 38.7% | ||
| 23 |
🌓 at 13:10
|
- |
13:31
↑
(77° ENE)
|
19:10
(46.1°)
|
377,738 | 49.6% | |
| 24 |
00:57
↑
(280° W)
|
13:58
↑
(84° E)
|
19:54
(52.3°)
|
382,655 | 60.1% | ||
| 25 |
01:58
↑
(272° W)
|
14:24
↑
(92° E)
|
20:36
(58.6°)
|
387,076 | 69.9% | ||
| 26 |
02:58
↑
(265° W)
|
14:49
↑
(99° E)
|
21:18
(64.6°)
|
390,887 | 78.7% | ||
| 27 |
03:56
↑
(258° WSW)
|
15:15
↑
(105° ESE)
|
22:01
(70.1°)
|
394,039 | 86.1% | ||
| 28 |
04:55
↑
(251° WSW)
|
15:44
↑
(111° ESE)
|
22:45
(75.0°)
|
396,524 | 92.1% | ||
| 29 |
05:54
↑
(245° WSW)
|
16:16
↑
(117° ESE)
|
23:31
(79.0°)
|
398,350 | 96.4% | ||
| 30 |
06:53
↑
(241° WSW)
|
16:52
↑
(121° ESE)
|
Does not pass meridian
(N/A)
|
N/A | 99.0% | ||
| 31 |
🌕 at 10:45
|
07:51
↑
(238° WSW)
|
17:35
↑
(123° ESE)
|
00:19
(81.9°)
|
399,519 | 99.8% | |
|
* All times are local time for Cape Town. Moonrise and moonset times are calculated for the geometric center of the Moon and account for Earth's atmospheric refraction. Dates are based on the Gregorian calendar. Illumination is calculated at lunar noon (or local noon if meridian passage is not on this day). The table may show "-" for moonrise or moonset if the event does not occur on that specific local day, or if the Moon is circumpolar (always above or always below the horizon). Two moonrises or moonsets on the same day can occur due to the Moon's orbital motion and the definition of a local day. |
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Moonrise & Moonset times in other cities in South Africa:
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Moonrise & Moonset in Cape Town Today
The Moon is above the horizon in Cape Town right now.
| Moonrise | Moonset | Up now? |
|---|---|---|
| 23:04 | 10:01 | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions about the Moon in Cape Town
What moon phase is visible in Cape Town tonight?
The moon over Cape Town is currently in the Waning Gibbous 🌖 phase, with 81.3% illumination.
What percentage of the moon is illuminated over Cape Town tonight?
81.3% of the visible disc of the moon is illuminated above Cape Town tonight.
What time does the moon rise in Cape Town next?
The next moonrise in Cape Town is at Today, 23:05 local time.
When is the next full moon visible from Cape Town?
Observers in Cape Town get the next full moon on 28 Aug 2026, 06:18.
When is the next new moon visible from Cape Town?
The next new moon for observers in Cape Town is on 12 Aug 2026, 19:36. New moons are the best nights for stargazing due to minimal moonlight.
Where in the sky is the moon over Cape Town right now?
The moon over Cape Town is currently 45.0° above the horizon at an azimuth of 37.81° (NE).
How far is the moon from Cape Town right now?
The moon is currently 380,617 from Earth (the same value applies to observers in Cape Town since lunar distance dwarfs city-to-city distances).
