Moon position, rise, and set for an exact location
Enter an exact local time and decimal latitude and longitude. The calculator returns observer-specific altitude, azimuth, right ascension, declination, distance, and the next moonrise, moonset, and upper transit.
How the position is defined
- Azimuth starts at true north and increases eastward: east is 90°, south 180°, and west 270°.
- Geometric altitude is the Moon's center angle above or below an ideal, unobstructed horizon.
- Near the horizon, refracted altitude uses a standard atmospheric model, not measured local pressure, temperature, or humidity. It is suppressed when the geometric center is more than 1° below the horizon.
- Right ascension, declination, and distance are topocentric: they include the observer-location parallax that matters for the nearby Moon.
Rise, set, and transit limitations
Rise and set are calculated for the Moon's upper visible limb using a standard 34-arcminute refraction assumption. Upper transit is the center crossing the observer's meridian and does not guarantee that the Moon is above the horizon. Searches stop after 40 days and may return no event at extreme latitudes.
Local terrain, buildings, sea-horizon dip, live weather, and optical visibility are not modeled. For non-location calculations, use the Moon Phase Calculator or Moon Distance Calculator. Read the position calculation methods and sources for validation details.