The astronomy
Half the disc is lit again, but now the light is fading and the Moon rises after midnight. Three quarters of the cycle are done.
What the last quarter means
The last quarter is release and reckoning: the clearing-out of what no longer belongs, making room by letting go rather than by adding.
The waning half-Moon is a reckoning, the turn where you let go of what the cycle has finished with.
What have you outgrown that you are still carrying out of habit rather than need?
See the Moon phase today, read about your Moon sign, or explore all eight phases.
Frequently asked
What does the last quarter mean?
The last quarter is release and reckoning: the clearing-out of what no longer belongs, making room by letting go rather than by adding.
Is the last quarter waxing or waning?
The last quarter is waning: the light is shrinking, from the full Moon back towards the dark.
Does the moon phase affect me?
Vela reads the Moon as a mirror, never a cause. The phases mark a rhythm you can reflect against, a cue to notice where you are in your own cycle, not a force that acts on you.