Lunistices 2025

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. It may be informative to observe events both before and after the astronomical time, rather than just the closest. Weather permitting of course.

Astronomical UT/GMT Times of Lunistices for 2025

Date / Time	Phase	State	0° Sign	Observe	Quad­rant
Jan 12 04:25	V fat gibbous	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Jan 26 13:44	Crescent	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Feb 08 11:05	Gibbous	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Feb 22 23:10	Fat crescent	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Mar 07 16:30	First Quarter	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Mar 22 07:30	Last Quarter	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Apr 03 22:51	Crescent	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Apr 18 14:13	Gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
May 01 07:24	Crescent	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
May 15 19:59	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
May 28 17:34	New	New	Cancer	Not Visible	Not Visible
Jun 12 01:56	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Jun 12 01:56	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Jun 25 03:45	New	New	Cancer	Not Visible	Not Visible
Jul 09 08:56	V fat gibbous	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Jul 22 12:27	Thin crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise / NV	NE
Aug 05 17:05	Gibbous	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Aug 18 19:06	Crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Sep 02 01:46	Gibbous	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Sep 15 00:31	Fat crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Sep 29 09:56	Fat crescent	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Oct 12 06:38	Gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Oct 26 16:54	Crescent	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Nov 08 15:07	Fat gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Nov 22 22:54	V thin crescent	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set / NV	SW
Dec 06 01:55	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Dec 06 01:55	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Set / NV	NW
Dec 20 04:54	New	New	Capri­corn	Not Visible	Not Visible

This year, total lunar eclipses occur on the full moons of March 14th & September 7th. Eclipses on the full moons closest to the equinoxes are indicative of proximity to the peak of the major (or minor) standstill season - and vice versa of course. In fact we are just past it with last year's equinoctial full moons also being eclipses; albeit a partial and a penumbral.

Due to changes in the obliquity of the ecliptic The Obliquity of the Ecliptic (tilt of the earth's axis) wobbles with a period of c.25,800 years ±1.2° around 23.1°. Throughout the neolithic it was not far from the maximum and rate of change was slow but now we are rapidly approaching the centre of the oscillation., lunistice positions now fall short or their prehistoric positions by approximately half a degree of declination The angular distance of a celestial object North or South of the celestial equator. Reckoned positive when North and negative when South, the declination of a celestial object is exactly equivalent to the latitude at which it would be seen to pass vertically overhead. [Diagram], rather more in terms of azimuth.

As a very approximate observational rule of thumb:

• North lunistice rise: first appearance of upper limb now roughly indicates prehistoric lower limb liftoff.
• North lunistice set: upper limb disappearance now roughly indicates prehistoric first contact of lower limb.
• South lunistice rise: lower limb liftoff now roughly indicates prehistoric first appearance of upper limb.
• South lunistice set: lower limb first contact now roughly indicates prehistoric disappearance of upper limb.