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Jason Davis • Jan 22, 2022

Moon features you can see from Earth

How well do you know the Moon?

Learning the names of the features on our cosmic companion is a great way to connect with the universe. Whether you live in a busy city with light-flooded skies or a rural area with views of the Milky Way, the Moon is one the easiest celestial object to spot in the night sky.

We created a guide to help you identify the many lunar features you can see with your unaided eyes. You can find several versions of the guide below. Try it out! Go outside and look at the Moon tonight to see how many features you can recognize. How do their appearances change as the Moon progresses through its monthly phases? What additional details can you see with a telescope or binoculars? 

Note: If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, the orientation of these guides will be upside-down, but the features are still the same. Southern Hemisphere versions of the maps are available in the captions under each image. Learn why the Moon looks different depending on where you are. 

The guide is free for printing and distribution with attribution, and we hope you'll share it widely to get more people interested in space exploration! The picture of the Moon itself was created with images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Moon Features You Can See From Earth's Northern Hemisphere (square)
Moon Features You Can See From Earth's Northern Hemisphere (square) This map labels some of the easiest Moon features to see from Earth's Northern Hemisphere. It is free for printing and distribution with attribution. A map for observers in the Southern Hemisphere is available here and in other aspect ratios here.Image: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University/The Planetary Society
Moon Features You Can See From Earth's Northern Hemisphere (16:9 landscape)
Moon Features You Can See From Earth's Northern Hemisphere (16:9 landscape) This map labels some of the easiest Moon features to see from Earth's Northern Hemisphere. It is free for printing and distribution with attribution. A map for observers in the Southern Hemisphere is available here and in other aspect ratios here.Image: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University/The Planetary Society
Moon Features You Can See From Earth's Northern Hemisphere (9:16 portrait)
Moon Features You Can See From Earth's Northern Hemisphere (9:16 portrait) This map labels some of the easiest Moon features to see from Earth's Northern Hemisphere. It is free for printing and distribution with attribution. A map for observers in the Southern Hemisphere is available here and in other aspect ratios here.Image: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University/The Planetary Society

Moon Features You Can See From Earth's Northern Hemisphere (PDF print version)

This version of our Moon feature map for observers in the Northern Hemisphere is sized for standard U.S. letter paper and uses a white background. It is free for printing and distribution with attribution.

Moon Features You Can See From Earth's Southern Hemisphere (PDF print version)

This version of our Moon feature map for observers in the Southern Hemisphere is sized for standard U.S. letter paper and uses a white background. It is free for printing and distribution with attribution.

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