Lunar calendar
The lunar calendar shows which of the thirty lunar days it is right now, what phase the Moon is in and how much of its disk is illuminated. The calculator above works this out for any date, and the month-by-month tables are collected on separate pages.
Date: Sat, November 7, 2026 (today).
12.2 days since the full moon, 1.9 to the new moon. Next full moon: November 24; next new moon: November 9. More about Lunar Day 28 →
In the haircut calendar the day is favorable; in the sowing calendar: root crops.
Phases are computed from the true positions of the Moon and the Sun: new and full moon moments are accurate to within 5 minutes, and dates follow Moscow time. The lunar day number, phase and illumination are given for noon Moscow time; lunar days are counted in 24-hour steps from the new moon. By tradition a lunar day begins at moonrise, so in a particular place the boundary can shift by several hours, and the number can differ by one from moonrise-based calendars.
How a Lunar Day Is Calculated
A lunar month lasts 29.53 days on average: this is the synodic period, the time from one new moon to the next; an individual month can be several hours shorter or longer. It is divided into 30 lunar days, so the last one, the thirtieth, doesn't occur every month: sometimes the cycle ends on the twenty-ninth.
An important detail: by tradition, lunar days begin not at midnight but at moonrise. That is why the first lunar day is almost always short, running from the new moon to the next moonrise, and a single calendar date can span two lunar days at once.
Our calculation finds the moments of the new and full moon from the true positions of the Moon and the Sun, to within 5 minutes, and dates them in Moscow time. It counts lunar days in 24-hour steps from the new moon and shows the day number for noon Moscow time, without using moonrise. So in a particular place the boundary of a lunar day can shift by several hours, and the number can differ by one from calendars based on moonrise.
Moon Phases
| Phase | What happens | Traditionally good for |
|---|---|---|
| New Moon | The disk is not visible | Ideas, plans, letting go of what you don't need |
| Waxing Moon | Illumination increases | New beginnings, purchases, gaining |
| Full Moon | The disk is fully illuminated | Taking stock, meetings, emotions at their peak |
| Waning Moon | Illumination decreases | Finishing, cleaning, getting rid of things |
This division underlies all practical lunar calendars: the haircut calendar, the planting calendar, the shopping calendar. The logic is the same everywhere: you gain on the waxing Moon and clear away on the waning Moon.
What the result means
The calculator shows the lunar day number, its symbol, the phase with the percentage of illumination, whether the Moon is waxing or waning, and when the next full moon and new moon are. Below that is a rating of the day according to the lunar haircut calendar and the lunar planting calendar.
The day number is the main thing. In tradition, each of the thirty days has its own character, symbol and set of recommendations: see the list of all lunar days with detailed descriptions. The symbol is the image attached to the day: a lamp, a cornucopia, a snake, a mirror. Illumination is simply an astronomical value; it is handy for telling whether the Moon is waxing or waning.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't the lunar day match the calendar day?
Because, by tradition, a lunar day begins at moonrise, not at midnight, and lasts 24 hours 50 minutes on average. In our calculation, lunar days are counted in 24-hour steps from the moment of the new moon, and that rarely falls at midnight either.
Is there a 30th lunar day every month?
No. It appears in roughly half of the cycles, when the month turns out to be longer.
Can I use the lunar calendar to plan surgery and medical treatment?
No. There is no medical basis for this, and health decisions should be made with a doctor, not by the calendar.