Basically, if you looked up tonight—well, technically in the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, January 14, 2026—you saw the moon doing something kinda quiet but incredibly beautiful. It wasn't one of those massive, "stop-everything" supermoons that dominate the news cycle. Instead, it was a thin, fragile waning crescent.
Only about 12% to 17% of the lunar surface was illuminated.
Most people missed it because it rose around 4:12 A.M. and was gone by the early afternoon. But for the early birds and the night owls, the moon was hanging out in a very specific neighborhood: the constellation Scorpius.
The Moon and Antares: That Red Dot You Saw
The real show wasn't just the moon itself. It was the pairing. If you caught the moon tonight, you probably noticed a bright, reddish "star" sitting just about 3.5 degrees away. That wasn't a planet. It was Antares, the burning red heart of the scorpion.
Astronomers call this a "close approach." The moon actually passed 0.6 degrees south of Antares at 3 P.M. EST, but because it was broad daylight then, the best view for us humans was right before the sun came up. It’s a striking contrast—the cold, silver sliver of the moon against the distinct orange-red glow of a supergiant star that’s literally 700 times larger than our sun.
Earthshine: Seeing the Dark Side
There was something else happening tonight that usually catches people off guard if they aren't looking for it. Since the moon is so thin right now, you might have been able to see the "ghost" of the rest of the moon.
This is called Earthshine, or sometimes "the old moon in the new moon’s arms."
It happens because sunlight hits the Earth, bounces off our oceans and clouds, and reflects back onto the dark part of the moon. It gives the unlit portion a faint, eerie glow. Honestly, it’s one of the best times for astrophotography because a simple tripod and a 5-second exposure can make the moon look like a glowing marble hanging in the void.
Why it feels different tonight
We are currently sliding toward the New Moon on January 18. This means the moon is getting thinner every single night. Tonight was the "Waning Crescent" phase, which in many cultures—and even in modern astrology—represents a time of "letting go" or "winding down."
Whether you believe in the stars or just like the physics, there's no denying the sky felt a bit emptier.
Spotting the "Invisible" Features
If you had binoculars out tonight, you weren't just looking at a flat crescent. The angle of the sun right now is perfect for seeing shadows in the Aristarchus Plateau. This is a weird, yellowish-brown area on the moon that's actually an old volcanic region. Because the sun is hitting it at such a sharp angle during this crescent phase, the craters and ridges look way more dramatic than they do during a full moon.
- Aristarchus Plateau: Looked like a bright bump on the left side.
- Grimaldi Basin: A dark, lava-filled patch near the edge.
- Sigma Scorpii: A smaller star that was also hanging out nearby.
The moon didn't just "happen" tonight; it moved through a very crowded part of our galaxy's backyard.
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What to do next
The moon is going to keep shrinking. By tomorrow morning, it’ll be even thinner and lower on the horizon. If you want to see the last of it before it disappears into the sun's glare for the New Moon, you'll need to be outside about an hour before sunrise on January 15.
Check your local weather app for "cloud cover" percentages. If you have a telescope, aim for the "terminator" line—the boundary between light and dark on the moon's surface—where the shadows are longest. This is the best way to see the actual topography of another world from your backyard.
If you missed the Antares pairing, don't sweat it. The moon hits this part of its orbit every month, though the exact distance and timing change. For now, enjoy the dark skies that come with a disappearing moon; it's the best time to see the winter stars like Orion and Sirius without the moon's light washing them out.