Docs/APIs/Moon Phases

Moon Phases

Get moon phases

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Overview

Moon Phases works by calculating the moon phase based on the date provided. It returns the moon phase in a structured format.

Endpoint

One host, one path per API. The block below shows this call in four languages; every one of them is the same HTTP request. Making requests covers the timeouts, retries and parameter rules that apply to all of them. The SDKs wrap the same call in a typed client.

GEThttps://api.apiverve.com/v1/moonphases
curl "https://api.apiverve.com/v1/moonphases?today=true" \
  -H "x-api-key: your_api_key_here"

Replace your_api_key_here with the key from your dashboard. When the inputs arrive as a list rather than one at a time, batch requests run up to 200 of them through this same API in a single call.

Authentication

Send your key in the x-api-key header. That is the only auth step — there is no token exchange and no per-endpoint scope to configure. Authentication covers creating, rotating and revoking keys.

401 is the only auth verdict

A 401 means the key is missing, invalid or expired. A 403 means the key is valid but not permitted here — blocked by a key restriction or an IP allow-list. Running out of credits is a 429.

Parameters

Sent in the query string. Premium parameters are accepted on every plan but only take effect on plans that include them.

ParameterTypeDescription
todayOptionalbooleanGet the moon phase for today
default true

Response

Every API returns the same three top-level keys, so one response handler covers your whole integration: status, error and data. Only data changes shape. Response format covers the envelope, the other output formats and how premium fields are withheld.

Sample response
{
  "status": "ok",
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "phase": "Waning Crescent",
    "phaseEmoji": "🌘",
    "illumination": 9.9,
    "waxing": false,
    "waning": true,
    "lunarAge": 26.61193415670738,
    "lunarAgePercent": 0.9011650706672754,
    "lunationNumber": 1274,
    "lunarDistance": 63.77810628163608,
    "nextFullMoon": "2026-01-16T00:00:00Z",
    "lastFullMoon": "2025-11-17T00:00:00Z",
    "daysToFullMoon": 28,
    "daysSinceFullMoon": 2
  }
}

Response fields

Paths are relative to data. Premium fields are absent rather than zeroed on plans that do not include them, so check for presence instead of comparing to 0.

FieldTypeExampleDescription
phasestring"Waning Crescent"Current moon phase name
phaseEmojistring"🌘"Emoji showing the current phase
illuminationnumber9.9Approximate illumination percentage (0-100)
waxingbooleanfalseWhether the illuminated fraction is growing
waningbooleantrueWhether the illuminated fraction is shrinking
lunarAgenumber26.61193415670738Days since the last new moon
lunarAgePercentnumber0.9011650706672754How far through the lunar cycle the moon is, from 0 to 1
lunationNumbernumber1274Which lunar cycle this is, counting from the new moon of January 1923
lunarDistancenumber63.77810628163608Distance to the moon in Earth radii
nextFullMoonPremiumstring"2026-01-16T00:00:00Z"Date of next full moon
lastFullMoonPremiumstring"2025-11-17T00:00:00Z"Date of last full moon
daysToFullMoonPremiumnumber28Days until next full moon
daysSinceFullMoonPremiumnumber2Days since last full moon

Errors

Read the HTTP status first, then error for the specific reason. The body names the parameter that has to change. Error handling covers the full status list and which of them are worth retrying.

StatusMeaningWhat to do
400Input was rejectedRead error; it names the parameter.
401Key missing or invalidCheck the header name and the key value.
403Key valid, but not permittedA key restriction or IP allow-list; see key scoping.
429Rate limited, or out of creditsRead error to tell them apart; see rate limits.

Use cases

Night Sky Photography
Astrophotographers check lunar illumination and waxing status to schedule dark-sky Milky Way shoots around the new moon.
Biodynamic Planting Calendars
Gardening software aligns root and above-ground crop sowing schedules using lunar cycle progression and current lunar age.
Stargazing Event Planning
When planning evening telescope sessions, observatory guides inspect illumination percentages to schedule viewing nights under pitch-black skies.
Fishing Forecast Dashboards
Forecast peak feeding activity by pairing lunation numbers and waxing indicators with local marine tables in fishing apps.

Other ways to use Moon Phases

Set up Moon Phases on APIVerve, or reach the same source a different way. Your APIVerve account and credits work on all of them — one key, one balance.

Give it to an AI agentConnect over MCP and your agent calls it as a native tool — Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT.VerveKitReference →
Google Sheets or ExcelA =VERVE() formula fills a column — no script, no export, recalculates in place.VerveSheetsReference →
Ground an agent on itA cited, machine-checkable fact your model can't produce on its own.VerveContextReference →

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