First Quarter Moon (at 13:52 GMT)

When the moon completes the first quarter of its orbit around Earth at 11:52 a.m. EDT, 8:52 a.m. PDT, or 13:52 GMT on Sunday, May 4, the 90 degree angle formed by the Earth, sun, and moon will cause us to see our natural satellite half-illuminated on its eastern, sunward side. While at first quarter, the moon always rises around noon and sets around midnight in your local time zone, allowing us to see it in the afternoon daytime sky, too. The evenings surrounding the first quarter phase are the best ones for viewing the lunar terrain when it is dramatically lit by low-angled sunlight.