Moon Phase Today León

Moon Phase Today León: Waning Crescent

On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the moon in Leon is a Waning Crescent with 34% illumination. Moon age: 23.7 days.

Illumination
34%
Moon Age
23.7d
Next Full Moon
Oct 25
Distance
--
☽ Moonrise
12:43 AM
↑ Highest
—
☾ Moonset
2:38 PM

Leon, Mexico-moonrise-skyline

☽ Best Places to View the Moon in León, Mexico

León sits at roughly 21.12°N at an elevation of about 1,815 metres in the Bajío region of central Mexico, the largest city in Guanajuato state and the fourth-most populous in the country. Founded in 1576 as Villa de León, the city carries nicknames like "the Pearl of the Bajío" and "the World Capital of Footwear," a nod to the leather and shoemaking industry that shaped its early growth. Between a triumphal arch that's become the true heart of the city, a neo-Gothic temple nearly a century in the making, and a grand avenue lined with sculpture and fountains, León gives a genuinely distinctive set of places to watch the moon.

1

Arco de la Calzada de los Héroes

A neoclassical triumphal arch, first put up as a temporary structure in 1893 to mark the 83rd anniversary of Mexican independence, with the permanent masonry version completed in 1896. A cement lion was added in 1945, but the bronze lion that crowns it today, the city's now-defining symbol, wasn't installed until March 1958. It's the natural meeting point for Leoneses and an unmistakable landmark for an evening downtown.

2

Templo Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús

A neo-Gothic sanctuary whose construction began in 1921 and wasn't completed until 2012, coinciding with Pope Benedict XVI's visit to León — a span of over 90 years for a single church. Its plaza has hosted Wednesday danzón and live music, and nighttime projections have also been presented on the temple façade; check the current schedule before planning an evening around either. Catacombs beneath the temple can also be visited.

3

Calzada de los Héroes

León's grand central avenue, running from the historic centre past the Arco and lined with a series of bronze sculptures and fountains, plus the Museum of Art and History of Guanajuato. It's an easy, open route for an ordinary evening walk with plenty to look at along the way.

4

Historic Centre & León Cathedral

The colonial core of the city, anchored by León's cathedral and the surrounding plazas and municipal buildings. It's a convenient place for an evening walk close to everything else on this list, though event schedules and access can vary.

5

Museo Explora

A science and technology museum popular with families, offering interactive exhibits on a range of subjects. Its current hours are largely daytime, so check them if you want to combine a visit with your moon-viewing plans elsewhere.

6

Parque Metropolitano

A large park on the city's outskirts, best known as the site of León's International Balloon Festival each November, when dozens of hot-air balloons fill the sky in colour. Outside festival dates, its open green space gives a wide, easy option for an ordinary evening away from downtown, within its posted closing hours.

◉ Best Times for Moon Photography

🌕 Full Moon ±1 day — Parque Metropolitano and the Calzada de los Héroes both give open, unobstructed sightlines over the city
❄ Dec–Feb — cool, dry winters typical of the Bajío's semi-arid climate
🌙 Mar–May & Sep–Nov — comfortable evenings for a walk down the Calzada or around the Arco
☀ Jun–Aug — warm days with a distinct summer rainy season
🥶 Evenings can turn cool given León's elevation of around 1,815 metres — pack a layer even in warmer months

📷 Quick Photography Tips

🎯A tripod helps at open spots like Parque Metropolitano, more exposed than the streets of the historic centre
🦁The illuminated Arco de la Calzada, with its bronze lion silhouette, gives a distinctive foreground for a moonrise shot downtown
⛪The Templo Expiatorio's occasional nighttime projections can add a genuinely unusual backdrop if your visit lines up with one — check the current schedule
🔋Cool, dry evenings can affect battery performance — carry a spare and keep it in an inner pocket
🕐 Timezone

León runs on Central Standard Time (UTC-6) year-round. Like most of Mexico, Guanajuato does not observe seasonal clock changes.

🌐 Other Locations

For the moon phase in any other city worldwide, visit our Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator for instant lunar data tailored to wherever you are.

Enjoy the moon over León — the World Capital of Footwear, where a bronze lion has watched over the city from its triumphal arch since 1958.

The moon phase today in León, Mexico is shown in detail above — complete with exact illumination percentage, moonrise/set times, and the best viewpoints to see it. For the moon phase today in any other city or location worldwide, visit our Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator on the home page.

◐ While Actually There

The Arco de la Calzada took its time becoming León's symbol. First raised as a temporary structure in 1893 and rebuilt in permanent masonry by 1896, known first as the "Arco Aldama" and then the "Arco de la Paz," it wore a cement lion from 1945 before the bronze version most visitors know today finally went up in 1958 — 65 years after the whole project began. Today it's simply where Leoneses gather, whether to celebrate a football win or just to be somewhere that feels like the middle of the city.

The Templo Expiatorio took even longer. Construction began in 1921 and wasn't completed until 2012, meaning the building took more than 90 years to finish — the better part of a century spent on a single church. Its Wednesday plaza gatherings and occasional nighttime projections feel like a fitting reward for that patience, even if it's worth checking the current schedule before you build an evening around either.

None of it requires much beyond checking Museo Explora's daytime hours if you want to combine it with your visit. The Arco, the Calzada de los Héroes, and the historic centre are all convenient for an evening walk, though it's worth checking event schedules and access ahead of time.

"León's temple took more than ninety years to finish, and its arch waited even longer for the lion seen today — this is a city that measures its landmarks in generations, not seasons."

✓ Your León Moon Chase Checklist

Before You Go

  • Check the moonrise time and phase on this page for each night of your stay
  • Check current opening hours for Museo Explora if you want to combine it with your visit
  • Check the current schedule for the Templo Expiatorio's Wednesday gatherings and any nighttime light projections
  • Check the International Balloon Festival dates in November if you want to time your visit around it
  • Check the forecast for the summer rainy season if visiting between June and August

What to Bring

  • A light layer for evenings — León's elevation keeps nights cool even in warmer months
  • A tripod, useful at open spots like Parque Metropolitano
  • Comfortable shoes for walking the Calzada de los Héroes and the historic centre
  • A light rain layer during the summer rainy season
  • Spare camera batteries kept warm in an inner pocket during cool evenings

On the Night

  • Arrive 20–30 minutes before moonrise at open spots like Parque Metropolitano
  • Shoot RAW and bracket exposures, especially where the illuminated Arco or temple mix with moonlight
  • Join the Wednesday crowd at the Templo Expiatorio's plaza if your visit lines up with it
  • Check Parque Metropolitano's current closing time before planning a late moonrise session there
  • Watch for sudden summer thunderstorms during the rainy season
Museo Explora, Parque Metropolitano, and the Templo Expiatorio's events all run on their own posted schedules — check current times before building an evening around any of them.
The moon over León shares the sky with a bronze lion that waited more than six decades for its perch, a temple more than ninety years in the making, and a grand avenue built for exactly this kind of evening walk. Use the phase calendar on this page, check temple and museum schedules before you go, and let the Arco anchor your view of the sky.

? León Moon Phase — Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the moon phase today in León?

The moon phase today in León is a Waning Crescent with 34% illumination. The next full moon is in 22 days, on Oct 25. Moonrise is at 12:43 AM and moonset at 2:38 PM.

Q. Where is the best place to view the moon in León?

The Arco de la Calzada de los Héroes, with its bronze lion on top, is the natural meeting point downtown and a distinctive illuminated foreground. The Calzada de los Héroes itself is an easy, open avenue lined with sculptures and fountains, while the Templo Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, a neo-Gothic temple completed in 2012, has a plaza that hosts events. The historic centre around León Cathedral is close to everything else, and Parque Metropolitano, a large park on the city's outskirts, gives open green space away from downtown within its posted closing hours. All are urban sites, so they suit cityscape compositions rather than dark-sky observing.

Q. Where does the moon rise and set in León, and how high does it climb?

At about 21°N, León sees the moon rise and set within roughly 30° of due east and due west. When the moon's declination is north of the city's latitude, as it can be around a winter-solstice full moon, it passes almost overhead or slightly north of the zenith, while a summer full moon culminates much lower, at roughly 40–45° in the south. Where the moon lines up with the Arco, the Templo or the Calzada depends on the date and your position, so check the rise azimuth for your date and location before planning a shot.

Q. How do León's altitude and seasons affect moon viewing?

León sits at about 1,815 metres in the Bajío, where the semi-arid climate brings cool, dry winters, warm days from June to August with a distinct summer rainy season, and comfortable evenings in spring and autumn. Evenings can turn cool even in warmer months because of the elevation, and cool evenings can affect battery performance, so carry a layer and a spare battery in an inner pocket. During the rainy season, check the forecast and watch for sudden summer thunderstorms.

Q. What camera settings work best for moon photography in León?

For a bright full moon, start with the Looney 11 rule (f/11, ISO 100, 1/100 s) and adjust from your histogram. The moon is much brighter than a night-time foreground, so shoot RAW and bracket exposures, especially where the illuminated Arco or the temple mix with moonlight. The Arco's bronze lion silhouette makes a distinctive foreground for a moonrise shot downtown, and the Templo Expiatorio's occasional nighttime projections can add an unusual backdrop if your visit lines up with one. A tripod helps at open spots such as Parque Metropolitano.

Q. Can I photograph the moon in León's plazas and parks after dark?

Access varies by site. The Templo Expiatorio's plaza has hosted Wednesday danzón and live music, and nighttime projections have been presented on its façade, so check the current schedule before planning an evening around either. Museo Explora has largely daytime hours. Parque Metropolitano has posted closing hours, so check the current time before planning a late moonrise session there. Historic-centre event schedules and access can vary, while the Calzada de los Héroes is an easy open route for an ordinary evening walk.

Q. Can I combine moon viewing with León's International Balloon Festival?

León's International Balloon Festival takes place each November at Parque Metropolitano, when dozens of hot-air balloons fill the sky in colour. Check the festival dates against this page's phase calendar and moonrise and moonset times, since a waning moon can still be in the morning sky, and remember that the park's posted hours and event schedules apply.

Q. Does this page work for cities besides León?

This page is set up specifically for León, Mexico. For the moon phase in any other city or location worldwide, use the Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator on the moonphase.today home page.