Lunistices 2024

Lunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. They are the lunar equivalent of solstices. There is clear evidence that our prehistoric ancestors observed the rising and setting positions of the lunistices. They did this because these positions vary cyclically with an 18.6 year period and understanding this lunistice cycle is an aid to predicting eclipses.

North and south lunistices are about 14 days apart and their lunar phase is different every time. When a lunistice is at or close to new moon it cannot be seen. When a lunistice is at or close to full moon it may be seen both rising and setting. Otherwise, wax­ing lunistices may only be observed setting while wan­ing lunistices can only be observed rising

The table below lists the time of the instant that the moon is at the astronomical lunistice point. Meaningful observation of a lunistice must be done at the nearest rise or set (as appropriate) to this time.

Astronomical UT/GMT Times of Lunistices for 2024

Date / Time	Phase	State	0° Sign	Observe	Quad­rant
Jan 10 01:34	Almost New	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Not Visible	SE
Jan 22 21:52	V fat gibbous	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Feb 06 12:10	Crescent	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Feb 19 03:26	Fat gibbous	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Mar 04 21:16	Fat crescent	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Mar 17 09:42	First Quarter	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Apr 01 04:06	Just gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Apr 13 17:46	Crescent	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Apr 28 09:39	Fat gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
May 11 03:14	Thin crescent	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
May 25 15:37	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Jun 07 12:42	V thin crescent	wax­ing	Cancer	Rise (NV?)	NE
Jun 21 23:10	Full	Full	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Jun 21 23:10	Full	Full	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Jul 04 20:52	V thin crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Jul 19 08:15	Fat gibbous	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Aug 01 03:20	Thin crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Aug 15 17:52	Gibbous	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Aug 28 08:49	Fat crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Sep 12 02:39	Just gibbous	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Sep 24 14:51	Just gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Oct 09 09:39	Crescent	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Oct 21 22:51	Gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Nov 05 15:18	Crescent	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Nov 18 08:51	Fat gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Dec 02 21:10	Almost New	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Not Visible	SE
Dec 15 19:22	Full	Full	Cancer	Rise	NE
Dec 15 19:22	Full	Full	Cancer	Set	NW