Ever tried to catch a moonrise only to stare at a blank, dark horizon for forty minutes? It’s frustrating. Most people assume the moon follows a predictable schedule like the sun, but the moon is a chaotic neighbor. Honestly, if you're looking for the moon rise time today, Saturday, January 17, 2026, you're looking for a ghost.
Today is a bit weird. We are sitting in the Waning Crescent phase, which is basically the moon’s "closing time." Only about 1.5% to 2% of the lunar disk is lit up right now. Because the moon is so close to the sun in our sky, it’s rising just before dawn and hanging out mostly during the day when the sun’s glare washes it out.
What is the moon rise time today near you?
The tricky thing about the moon is that your exact latitude and longitude change everything. It isn't like a national TV broadcast; it's a hyper-local event. For most of the United States today, the moon is pulling an early shift.
In New York City, the moon peeks over the horizon around 5:46 AM. If you're in Chicago, you're looking at a 6:53 AM rise. Out west in Los Angeles or San Francisco, it’s closer to 7:02 AM.
Notice a pattern? It's rising right as the world is waking up. But here’s the kicker: because it’s a tiny sliver, you probably won't even see it unless the sky is impossibly clear and you have a clear view of the East-Southeast horizon. By the time it gets high enough to notice, the sun is already up, making the moon look like a faint, transparent thumbnail in the blue sky.
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Why the timing feels so random
The moon is lazy. Well, not really, but it does arrive about 50 minutes later every single day. This happens because while the Earth is spinning, the moon is also moving in its own orbit. Think of it like a track race where the finish line keeps moving forward. Earth has to spin a little bit extra each day to "catch up" to where the moon moved.
Sometimes that delay is only 30 minutes; other times it's over an hour. It depends on the tilt of the Earth and where the moon is in its elliptical orbit. Right now, in mid-January 2026, we’re seeing that classic "morning moon" behavior that happens right before a New Moon.
Current Moon Stats for January 17, 2026
- Phase: Waning Crescent
- Illumination: ~1.5%
- Moon Age: 28.3 days (nearly a full cycle)
- Moonset: For most, it will set between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM local time.
The "Moon Illusion" and why today is different
You've probably seen those photos of a massive orange moon sitting on top of a city skyline. That’s the moon illusion. Your brain tricking you into thinking the moon is bigger when it's near the horizon because you can compare it to trees or buildings.
Today, you won't get that. A 1% crescent is thin—paper thin. Astronomers like those at Sky & Telescope often talk about the "old moon," which is what we’re seeing today. It’s the final sliver of the previous lunar cycle before it resets. If you’re a photographer, today is actually a nightmare for moon shots, but it’s great for "Earthshine." That’s when sunlight reflects off the Earth, hits the dark part of the moon, and makes the whole circle faintly visible.
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Factors that actually change your view
Clouds are the obvious enemy, but "atmospheric extinction" is the one nobody talks about. Near the horizon, you’re looking through a lot more air and dust than when you look straight up. This can delay the visible moonrise by several minutes or even turn the moon a deep red or orange.
Also, if you're in a valley, the "official" moonrise time is useless to you. The moon might "rise" at 6:00 AM, but it won't clear the mountain peak until 7:30 AM. By then, the sun is definitely in charge.
Getting the timing right for your weekend
If you missed the moon this morning, don't worry. Tomorrow, Sunday, the moon will rise even later—likely after the sun is already up for many locations. We are heading toward a New Moon on January 19th, where the moon will be totally invisible as it passes between us and the sun.
Basically, if you want to see a dramatic moonrise, you’ve got to wait about a week. By then, the "Waxing Crescent" will start appearing in the evening sky right after sunset. That's the one everyone loves—the "Cheshire Cat" smile in the twilight.
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For the best experience today, find a spot with a low eastern horizon about 30 minutes before sunrise. Bring binoculars. You aren't looking for a bright light; you're looking for a delicate silver thread.
Check your local weather app for the "astronomical" rise time, but keep in mind that "today" in the lunar world usually means "this morning" when we're in a waning phase. If you're looking for the moon to rise tonight at dinner time, you're going to be waiting until tomorrow morning.
To get the most accurate local data, enter your specific zip code into a tool like the US Naval Observatory or TimeandDate. These sites factor in your elevation and exact coordinates, which can shift the "official" time by a few crucial minutes. Once you have that time, get outside ten minutes early to let your eyes adjust to the pre-dawn light.