To determine what kind of moon is visible, it depends on the current phase and any special characteristics it might have. The main types of moon phases are:
- New Moon: the Moon is not visible because the side facing Earth is dark.
- Waxing Crescent: a small crescent shape appears as the Moon begins to light up.
- First Quarter: half of the Moon is lit, often called a "half moon."
- Waxing Gibbous: more than half is lit and growing towards full.
- Full Moon: fully illuminated and visible all night.
- Waning Gibbous: more than half is lit but decreasing in illumination.
- Last Quarter: again half lit, opposite side from first quarter.
- Waning Crescent: a shrinking crescent before becoming new moon again.
There are also special named types of full moons based on color, size, or timing, such as:
- Supermoon: a full moon appearing larger due to the moon's orbit being closer to Earth.
- Blood Moon: a reddish full moon during a total lunar eclipse.
- Blue Moon: the second full moon in a calendar month.
- Harvest Moon: the full moon closest to the autumn equinox.
Currently, based on recent data, the moon phase as of early October 2025 is a Waning Gibbous phase, where the Moon is more than half illuminated but decreasing in size each night.
If the user wants the exact current type of moon, it is a Waning Gibbous moon. If they mean type in terms of special full moons, that depends on the month's lunar calendar specifics.