Chinese Lunar Calendar
Browse months, see moon phases and Chinese lunar dates.
โ Traditional mode shows the official Chinese lunar calendar (GMT+8). Local mode adapts to your timezone.
Note: Lunar dates are calculated algorithmically. For official dates of Chinese festivals and public holidays, refer to your local government calendar.
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Red dates: ๅไธ/ๅไบ Dots: ๐ด Supermoon ๐ต Blue Moon โซ Eclipse
Festivals: ๆฅ่ CNY ยท ๅ ๅฎต Lantern ยท ็ซฏๅ Dragon Boat ยท ไธๅค Qixi ยท ไธญๅ Ghost ยท ไธญ็ง Mid-Autumn ยท ้้ณ Chongyang ยท ้คๅค NYE
Moon phases calculated using the Meeus astronomical algorithm. Dates may vary by one day depending on timezone.
๐ Chang'e & the Jade Rabbit
In Chinese mythology, the moon is home to Chang'e (ๅซฆๅจฅ), a goddess who swallowed an elixir of immortality and floated to the moon, where she has lived ever since. Her companion is the Jade Rabbit (็ๅ ), who endlessly pounds herbs in a mortar, trying to create a potion that might reunite Chang'e with her husband Hou Yi on earth. China's lunar exploration programme is named "Chang'e" in her honour, and its rovers are called "Yutu" - a beautiful fusion of ancient myth and modern science.
๐ฎ Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival (ไธญ็ง่) falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, when the moon is fullest and brightest. Families gather to eat mooncakes (ๆ้ฅผ) - round pastries symbolising completeness and reunion - gaze at the moon and share lanterns with children. It is the second most important festival in the Chinese calendar after Chinese New Year, and celebrates family unity, harvest gratitude, and the legend of Chang'e.
๐พ Lunar Agriculture
For thousands of years, Chinese farmers planted and harvested by the lunar calendar. The 24 Solar Terms (ไบๅๅ่ๆฐ) divide the year into precise agricultural periods - from "Awakening of Insects" (ๆ่ฐ) in spring to "Great Cold" (ๅคงๅฏ) in winter. Root crops are traditionally planted during the waning moon, while above-ground crops are sown during the waxing phase. UNESCO recognised the 24 Solar Terms as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
๐งง Major Lunar Festivals
Chinese New Year (ๆฅ่) begins on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month. The Lantern Festival (ๅ ๅฎต่) closes the New Year celebrations on the 15th day. Qingming (ๆธ ๆ) honours ancestors in spring. The Dragon Boat Festival (็ซฏๅ่) on the 5th day of the 5th month commemorates the poet Qu Yuan. The Hungry Ghost Festival (ไธญๅ ่) on the 15th of the 7th month honours the departed. Each festival is deeply tied to the moon's cycle.
๐ Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese zodiac (็่) is a twelve-year cycle, each year represented by an animal: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The zodiac year begins on Chinese New Year, not January 1st. Each animal carries traits believed to influence personality, compatibility and fortune. The cycle combines with the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) to create a 60-year grand cycle - making each combination truly rare.
Chinese Lunar Calendar - Questions Answered
The Gregorian calendar is purely solar - it tracks the earth's orbit around the sun. The Chinese calendar is lunisolar - it follows the moon's phases for months but adds leap months to stay aligned with the solar year and seasons. Each lunar month begins on a new moon and lasts 29 or 30 days, giving a year of about 354 days. A leap month is inserted roughly every 3 years to correct the drift, keeping festivals in their proper seasons.
Because Chinese New Year falls on the 2nd new moon after the winter solstice (or the 1st new moon if a leap month intervenes). Since the lunar cycle doesn't align neatly with the Gregorian calendar, the date shifts - always falling between January 21 and February 20. This is also why other lunar festivals like Mid-Autumn move on the Gregorian calendar while staying fixed on the lunar one.
The 24 Solar Terms (ไบๅๅ่ๆฐ) divide the solar year into 24 segments of approximately 15 days each, based on the sun's position along the ecliptic. They include markers like "Start of Spring" (็ซๆฅ), "Grain Rain" (่ฐท้จ), "Summer Solstice" (ๅค่ณ) and "Winter Solstice" (ๅฌ่ณ). Originally created to guide agriculture in the Yellow River basin, they remain culturally significant and were inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
ๅไธ is the 1st day of the lunar month (new moon) and ๅไบ is the 15th day (full moon). These days carry special significance in Chinese culture - many people visit temples, burn incense, and make offerings on these dates. The 1st and 15th are considered auspicious for prayer, meditation and setting intentions. Many Chinese vegetarians observe meat-free days on ๅไธ and ๅไบ.
A leap month (้ฐๆ) is an extra month inserted into the Chinese calendar roughly every 2-3 years. It keeps the lunisolar calendar aligned with the seasons. The leap month is assigned to the month that does not contain a "major" solar term (ไธญๆฐ). When this happens, that month is repeated and labelled as ้ฐ (rรนn) followed by the month number - for example, ้ฐๅๆ means "leap 4th month."
Traditional Chinese almanacs (้่ or ้ปๅ) combine the lunar date, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches (ๅคฉๅนฒๅฐๆฏ), the day's zodiac animal, and other factors to determine whether a day is auspicious for specific activities - weddings, moving house, opening a business, or signing contracts. These almanacs are still widely consulted today, especially in Chinese-speaking communities.
The 7th lunar month is known as the Hungry Ghost Month (้ฌผๆ). According to tradition, the gates of the underworld open and spirits roam the earth. Many people avoid major life decisions during this month - no weddings, no moving house, no starting a new business. Offerings of food, incense and paper money are left for wandering spirits. The 15th day of the 7th month (ไธญๅ ่) is the peak of the festival.
The Dragon Boat Festival (็ซฏๅ่) falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. It commemorates the poet and statesman Qu Yuan (ๅฑๅ), who drowned himself in the Miluo River in protest against political corruption around 278 BCE. Local people raced out in boats to save him and threw rice dumplings (็ฒฝๅญ, zongzi) into the water to feed the fish so they would not eat his body. Today, dragon boat races and zongzi are the festival's defining traditions.
Many Chinese families consult zodiac compatibility for marriage - certain animal pairings are considered harmonious (Dragon-Rat) while others are thought to clash (Tiger-Monkey). Business owners may choose auspicious zodiac years to launch ventures. The zodiac year of your birth (ๆฌๅฝๅนด) is considered a year of challenge, and wearing red is believed to ward off bad luck. Baby booms often occur in Dragon years, which are considered the most auspicious.
The full moon (ๆปกๆ) symbolises completeness, reunion and family togetherness. The Chinese word for "round" (ๅ, yuรกn) sounds like the word for "reunion" (ๅขๅ, tuรกnyuรกn). This is why the Mid-Autumn Festival - centred on the fullest moon of the year - is fundamentally about family gathering. Full moon nights are also considered powerful for meditation, prayer, and releasing what no longer serves you.
Today's Hijri Date
Hijri Month Calendar
โจ Gold = special day ยท Highlighted = today
Note: Dates use the tabular civil algorithm. Actual Islamic dates depend on moon sighting in your region. For religious observances, always follow your local mosque or Islamic authority.
Convert Gregorian to Hijri
๐ Why the Crescent Moon?
The crescent moon (hilal) is central to Islam because it determines the start of each lunar month. The Prophet Muhammad instructed believers to begin and end Ramadan by sighting the new crescent. Unlike calculated calendars, many Muslim communities still rely on physical moon sighting - making the crescent not just a symbol but a living practice. The crescent appears on the flags of many Muslim-majority nations, though it was adopted as a symbol centuries after the Prophet's time.
๐ The Twelve Hijri Months
Each Hijri month carries its own character. Muharram ("Sacred") is the first month, one of four sacred months when fighting was forbidden. Rabi' al-Awwal is the birth month of the Prophet. Rajab is another sacred month of reflection. Sha'ban is the month of preparation before Ramadan. Ramadan is the month of fasting and the Quran's revelation. Dhul-Hijjah is the month of Hajj pilgrimage and Eid al-Adha. Because the Islamic year is ~11 days shorter than the Gregorian year, each month cycles through all seasons over 33 years.
๐ญ Islamic Golden Age of Astronomy
Muslim scholars made extraordinary contributions to lunar science. Al-Battani (858-929 CE) calculated the lunar month to within 0.44 seconds of modern values. Ibn al-Haytham (965-1040 CE), the "father of optics," explained how moonlight is reflected sunlight. Al-Zarqali built the most accurate astrolabe of his era. The Arabic origins of astronomical terms - zenith (samt), nadir (nazir), azimuth (al-samt) - testify to Islam's foundational role in the science of the sky.
๐ Hajj and the Lunar Calendar
The Hajj pilgrimage takes place from the 8th to 12th of Dhul-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic year. Because the calendar is purely lunar, Hajj moves through all seasons over a 33-year cycle - meaning every generation experiences pilgrimage in both summer heat and winter mildness. Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, begins on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah and is celebrated worldwide, even by Muslims not performing Hajj.
โจ Laylat al-Qadr - The Night of Power
Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power) falls within the last ten nights of Ramadan, most commonly sought on the 27th night. The Quran describes it as "better than a thousand months" - the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims spend these nights in intense prayer and reflection. The exact date is deliberately kept uncertain, encouraging devotion throughout the final third of Ramadan.
Islamic Calendar - Questions Answered
The Quran explicitly states: "Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve months in the register of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred" (9:36). The Prophet Muhammad prohibited the pre-Islamic practice of adding extra months (nasi') to synchronise with the solar year. This keeps the Islamic calendar purely lunar - each month is strictly tied to the moon's cycle, unmodified by solar adjustments.
The start of Ramadan is determined by sighting the new crescent moon (hilal) on the 29th evening of Sha'ban. If the crescent is seen, Ramadan begins the next day. If not, Sha'ban is completed to 30 days and Ramadan starts the day after. Some countries now accept astronomical calculations, while others insist on physical sighting - which is why Ramadan occasionally begins on different days in different countries.
Ashura falls on the 10th of Muharram. For Sunni Muslims, it commemorates the day Allah saved Prophet Musa (Moses) and the Israelites from Pharaoh - fasting on this day is recommended. For Shia Muslims, Ashura marks the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the Prophet's grandson, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. It is a day of mourning, remembrance and reflection on justice and sacrifice.
The four sacred months are Muharram (1st month), Rajab (7th month), Dhul-Qi'dah (11th month) and Dhul-Hijjah (12th month). During these months, warfare was traditionally forbidden in pre-Islamic and Islamic Arabia. They are considered times for increased devotion, reflection and peace. Three of them are consecutive (Dhul-Qi'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram), surrounding the Hajj season.
Because the Islamic calendar has no leap month or solar correction. The lunar year is approximately 354 days - about 11 days shorter than the solar year. This means Ramadan shifts earlier by roughly 11 days each Gregorian year, cycling through all four seasons over about 33 years. A Muslim who lives to age 66 will have fasted Ramadan in every season twice - experiencing both the long summer fasts and short winter ones.
The 15th of Sha'ban, known as Laylat al-Bara'ah (Night of Forgiveness), is observed by many Muslims as a night when Allah determines the destiny of all people for the coming year. Many spend the night in prayer and visit graves of loved ones. While its observance varies across communities - some consider it highly recommended, others view it as optional - it falls just before Ramadan and serves as spiritual preparation for the fasting month ahead.
This site uses the Kuwaiti algorithm, a widely accepted civil approximation of the Hijri calendar. It matches official dates in most years but may differ by 1 day from dates determined by actual moon sighting in some regions. For religious observances - especially Ramadan start/end and Eid - always follow the announcement of your local Islamic authority or mosque, as they base their decisions on confirmed crescent sighting or their country's official astronomical committee.
Dhul-Hijjah is the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar. The first ten days are considered the most blessed days of the year - the Prophet Muhammad said no good deeds are more beloved to Allah than those done in these ten days. The Hajj pilgrimage takes place from the 8th to 12th. The Day of Arafah (9th) is the holiest day, when pilgrims stand at Mount Arafat in prayer. Eid al-Adha begins on the 10th, commemorating Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son.
Today's Panchang
Vedic almanac based on astronomical calculations. Select a date below.
Note: Values are calculated astronomically and may differ slightly from traditional regional Panchangs. For ritual timing, consult your local priest or astrologer.
๐ Chandra - The Moon God
In Vedic tradition, Chandra (เคเคจเฅเคฆเฅเคฐ) is the god of the moon, one of the nine celestial bodies (Navagraha) that influence human destiny. Chandra governs the mind, emotions, and intuition. Monday (Somvar) is his day - many Hindus observe fasts on Mondays to honour Chandra. His chariot is pulled across the sky by ten white horses, and his waxing and waning represent the eternal cycle of growth and dissolution. Chandra's placement in a birth chart (Janma Rashi) determines one's moon sign, considered even more important than the sun sign in Vedic astrology.
โญ The 27 Nakshatras
The Nakshatras are 27 lunar mansions - segments of the ecliptic through which the moon travels, spending roughly one day in each. Every Nakshatra has a ruling deity, symbol, and set of qualities. Ashwini (the healers) begins the cycle; Revati (the nurturer) ends it. Your birth Nakshatra - the one the moon occupied at the moment of your birth - is used to determine your name's starting syllable, marriage compatibility, and the timing of important rituals.
๐ Muhurta - Auspicious Timing
Muhurta is the Vedic science of choosing the most favourable moment for important actions - weddings, housewarming, business launches, even haircuts. A priest or astrologer examines the Panchang's five elements (Tithi, Vara, Nakshatra, Yoga, Karana) along with the positions of planets, to identify a window when cosmic forces support success. Certain tithis like Dwitiya, Tritiya, Panchami, and Dashami are generally considered auspicious, while Chaturthi and Navami are avoided for new beginnings.
๐ Rahu & Ketu - The Shadow Planets
In Hindu mythology, eclipses are caused by Rahu (the head) and Ketu (the tail) - fragments of the demon Svarbhanu, who was beheaded by Vishnu after disguising himself as a god to drink the nectar of immortality. Rahu swallows the sun during solar eclipses; Ketu obscures the moon during lunar ones. In Vedic astrology, Rahu and Ketu are "shadow planets" (chaya graha) with profound influence on karma, obsession, and spiritual liberation.
๐ Karva Chauth
Karva Chauth is a one-day festival in which married Hindu women fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands. The fast is broken only after sighting the moon through a sieve, then looking at the husband's face. Celebrated on the 4th day after the full moon in the month of Kartik, it is especially popular in North India. The festival has ancient roots in the story of Queen Veeravati, whose devotion brought her husband back from death.
Hindu Panchang - Questions Answered
A Tithi is one lunar day - the time it takes for the angular distance between the moon and sun to increase by 12 degrees. There are 30 tithis in a lunar month: 15 in the bright half (Shukla Paksha, waxing) and 15 in the dark half (Krishna Paksha, waning). Unlike solar days, tithis can be shorter or longer than 24 hours, and one solar day can contain parts of two tithis. Each tithi has its own deity and characteristics that influence what activities are considered auspicious.
Shukla Paksha is the bright half - the 15 days from new moon to full moon, when the moon is waxing (growing). Krishna Paksha is the dark half - the 15 days from full moon to new moon, when the moon is waning (shrinking). In general, Shukla Paksha is preferred for new beginnings, celebrations and growth-oriented activities, while Krishna Paksha is better suited for completion, introspection, and releasing what no longer serves you.
In traditional Hindu matchmaking, the birth Nakshatras of the bride and groom are compared using a system called Ashtakoot Milan, which scores compatibility across eight categories (Koot) out of a maximum of 36 points. A score of 18 or above is generally considered acceptable. The system examines temperament (Gana), physical compatibility (Yoni), prosperity (Bhakoot), and other factors. While modern couples may or may not follow this system, it remains deeply embedded in Indian wedding culture.
Fasting (Vrat) on specific lunar days is a widespread practice. Ekadashi (the 11th tithi) fasts occur twice a month and are dedicated to Vishnu - believed to cleanse the body and earn spiritual merit. Pradosh Vrat on the 13th tithi honours Shiva. Purnima (full moon) and Amavasya (new moon) fasts serve different purposes: Purnima fasts celebrate abundance and gratitude, while Amavasya fasts honour ancestors and invite protection from negative forces.
Purnima is the full moon day - the 15th tithi of Shukla Paksha. It is sacred in Hinduism because the moon represents the mind in Vedic philosophy, and a full moon symbolises a fully illuminated, clear mind. Many major festivals fall on Purnima: Guru Purnima (honouring teachers), Sharad Purnima (the brightest moon of the year), and Holi (the festival of colours). Satyanarayan Puja, a popular household worship, is traditionally performed on Purnima.
Eclipses are called Grahan - Surya Grahan (solar) and Chandra Grahan (lunar). They are attributed to Rahu and Ketu swallowing the luminaries. Traditionally, eclipses are considered inauspicious: temples close, food prepared before the eclipse is discarded, pregnant women are advised to stay indoors, and holy water is sprinkled after the eclipse passes. However, eclipses are also seen as powerful times for mantra chanting and meditation, with spiritual practices believed to be amplified during this period.
The Hindu calendar is lunisolar (like Chinese) - it follows lunar months but adds leap months to stay aligned with the solar year. The Islamic calendar is purely lunar with no solar correction. The Hindu system is unique in its five-fold structure (Panchang) and its integration with Vedic astrology. The Chinese calendar uses a similar lunisolar approach but with different intercalation rules. Both Hindu and Chinese calendars keep festivals in roughly the same season each year, while Islamic dates rotate through all seasons.
Amavasya is the new moon - the darkest night of the lunar month. It is dedicated to Pitru (ancestor) worship. Many families perform Tarpan (water offerings) and Shradh (food offerings) for departed ancestors on this day. Amavasya is also considered a potent time for Tantric practices and for worshipping fierce deities like Kali and Bhairava. The Mahalaya Amavasya, falling in the month of Ashwin, marks the beginning of the Navaratri festival and is the most important day for ancestor rites.
Moon Astronomy - Questions Answered
๐ What is a Supermoon?
A Supermoon occurs when a full moon (or new moon) coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth (perigee) - about 363,300 km away versus the average 384,400 km. A Supermoon appears up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a regular full moon. The term was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979. While astronomers prefer "perigee-syzygy," the popular term stuck. Supermoons happen 3-4 times per year and are associated with slightly higher tides.
๐ต What is a Blue Moon?
A Blue Moon is the second full moon in a single calendar month - a result of the lunar cycle (29.5 days) being slightly shorter than most months. It occurs roughly every 2.5 years. The phrase "once in a blue moon" means something rare. Despite the name, the moon does not actually appear blue. However, volcanic eruptions and forest fires can scatter red light and make the moon appear genuinely blue - this happened after the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa.
๐ด What is a Blood Moon?
A Blood Moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse, when Earth's shadow completely covers the moon. Rather than going dark, the moon turns deep red because Earth's atmosphere bends (refracts) sunlight around the planet's edge, filtering out blue wavelengths and letting red light reach the moon. The colour depends on atmospheric conditions - heavy volcanic ash or pollution produces darker, more copper-toned eclipses, while clearer atmospheres produce brighter reds.
๐พ What is a Harvest Moon?
The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox (around September 22-23 in the Northern Hemisphere). It rises only about 20-30 minutes later each night - much less than the usual 50 minutes - giving farmers extended evening light to harvest crops before winter. This narrow gap happens because the moon's orbital path makes a shallow angle with the horizon near the equinox. The Harvest Moon often appears large and orange due to the "moon illusion" and atmospheric scattering.
The moon's gravitational pull creates two tidal bulges on Earth - one on the side facing the moon, and one on the opposite side. As Earth rotates, coastlines pass through these bulges, producing two high tides and two low tides each day. During full and new moons, the sun and moon align, creating stronger "spring tides." During quarter moons, they pull at right angles, producing weaker "neap tides." The Bay of Fundy in Canada experiences the world's most extreme tides - up to 16 metres - partly due to the moon's influence on its funnel-shaped bay.
Multiple peer-reviewed studies suggest it might. A 2013 study published in Current Biology found that participants took 5 minutes longer to fall asleep and slept 20 minutes less around the full moon, even in controlled laboratory conditions without moonlight exposure. A 2021 study in Science Advances confirmed that people in both urban and rural environments fell asleep later and slept less in the days leading up to a full moon. While the mechanism is debated, the correlation is consistent across studies.
A Micro Moon (or Apogee Moon) is the opposite of a Supermoon - it occurs when a full moon coincides with apogee, the moon's farthest point from Earth (about 405,500 km). A Micro Moon appears roughly 14% smaller and 30% dimmer than a Supermoon. While less dramatic in appearance, Micro Moons produce slightly lower tides and are considered by some spiritual traditions to carry a gentler, more introspective energy compared to the amplified intensity of a Supermoon.
Over 100 missions have been sent to the moon since 1959. The Soviet Union's Luna 2 was the first spacecraft to reach the lunar surface. NASA's Apollo programme landed 12 humans on the moon between 1969 and 1972. More recently, China's Chang'e programme has landed rovers and returned samples. India's Chandrayaan-3 achieved a successful soft landing near the lunar south pole in 2023. NASA's Artemis programme aims to return humans to the moon, while private companies like SpaceX and ispace are developing commercial lunar landers.
The moon illusion is the phenomenon where the moon appears much larger when it is near the horizon than when it is high in the sky - even though its actual angular size is the same (about 0.5 degrees). The brain interprets the moon near the horizon as being farther away (because it is seen alongside distant buildings, trees, and terrain), so it unconsciously "enlarges" it to compensate. This is a perceptual illusion, not an optical one - photographs confirm the moon's size doesn't change.
The moon is "tidally locked" to Earth - it rotates on its axis in exactly the same time it takes to orbit Earth (about 27.3 days). This synchronisation means the same hemisphere always faces us. It is not a coincidence: Earth's gravity gradually slowed the moon's rotation over billions of years until it matched its orbital period. We actually see about 59% of the moon's surface over time due to slight wobbles called librations, but 41% - the far side - is never visible from Earth.
Earthshine is the faint glow visible on the dark part of a crescent moon, caused by sunlight reflecting off Earth and illuminating the unlit lunar surface. Leonardo da Vinci was the first to correctly explain it in the early 1500s. Earthshine is brightest when Earth is most reflective - typically when large cloud systems or ice caps face the moon. It is sometimes called "the old moon in the new moon's arms" and is best observed in the days just after new moon, when the crescent is thin and the dark portion is clearly visible.
Many species synchronise their behaviour with lunar cycles. Coral on the Great Barrier Reef spawns simultaneously on full moon nights in late spring. Dung beetles navigate using polarised moonlight. The palolo worm of the South Pacific swarms exactly on the third quarter moon in October. Badgers, owls, and many nocturnal predators adjust their hunting patterns based on moonlight levels. Marine organisms like the grunion fish time their beach spawning to spring tides. The moon's influence on biology is so pervasive that scientists have coined the term "chronobiology" for its study.