Moon Phase Software

Moon tools

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.

Time and observer location

Use a named IANA time zone. The default is UTC.

Decimal degrees: north and east are positive; south and west are negative. Latitude must be strictly between −90° and +90° because azimuth is undefined at the geographic poles. Observer elevation is fixed at sea level.

Night observatory horizon dome with brass altitude and azimuth controls

Coordinate reference

Translate the numbers into a direction

How the position is defined

Azimuth starts at true north and increases eastward: east is 90°, south 180°, west 270°.

Altitude measures the Moon's centre above or below an ideal, unobstructed horizon.

Topocentric coordinates include the parallax created by the observer's position on Earth.

How rise, set, and transit are timed

Rise and set use the Moon's upper visible limb and a standard 34-arcminute refraction assumption. Upper transit is the centre crossing the observer's meridian.

Terrain, buildings, and live atmospheric conditions can shift what an observer actually sees near the horizon.

Read the coordinate and horizon conventions