Moon Phase Today Cagayan de Oro

Moon Phase Today Cagayan de Oro: Waning Crescent

On Monday, October 5, 2026, the moon in Cagayan de Oro is a Waning Crescent with 34% illumination. Moon age: 23.7 days.

Illumination
34%
Moon Age
23.7d
Next Full Moon
Oct 26
Distance
--
☽ Moonrise
12:28 AM
↑ Highest
—
☾ Moonset
1:29 PM

moon-phase-cagayan-de-oro

☽ Best Places to View the Moon in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

Cagayan de Oro sits at roughly 8.5°N on Macajalar Bay, on the north coast of Mindanao, on a narrow coastal plain with highlands rising behind it across a steep escarpment. The Cagayan River runs through the city to the bay, which gives it two water settings, the river corridor and the bayfront, and the hills above give a third, elevated one. At this latitude the Moon rises and sets fairly close to due east and west and climbs high: a full Moon near the December solstice passes roughly 70° to 80° up, a little north of the zenith, while one near the June solstice crosses the southern sky at roughly 53° to 64°. The coast faces north, so the Moon is over the bay only when it rises north of due east or sets north of due west; on other dates it rises or sets over land. Exact rise and set times and azimuth depend on the date and your observing position, so check both before planning a specific composition.

1

Gaston Park & Plaza Divisoria

Gaston Park, beside Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace, was the main plaza of Cagayan de Misamis in the Spanish colonial period and is named after Segundo Gaston. Plaza Divisoria, also called Golden Friendship Park, was built in 1902 as a fire breach and is a long, narrow plaza between two roads with monuments, an amphitheatre and a freedom park, in what has been a commercial centre since the 1920s. Both give open ground among civic buildings for a moon-over-landmark photograph when the azimuth for your date lines up. Evening access and crowds vary with events, so check current conditions.

2

Vicente de Lara Park – Capitol Grounds

A park in front of the provincial capitol building, named after a former governor of the province and once known as MacArthur Park. Its open lawns and shade give sections of relatively broad sky for photography when the azimuth lines up. It is a public civic space, so evening access varies with events and conditions, and you should stay on the public areas.

3

Duaw Kagayan Park & the Cagayan River

A riverside park with views of the Cagayan River and the trees along it, one of the more open spots in the centre of the city. The river and its banks give foreground for moon photography when the azimuth for your date lines up. Access and conditions vary with river levels and city events, so check current conditions and use public areas only.

4

Macajalar Bay Waterfront

The bay forms the city's northern edge, and the bayfront is its main natural water-facing horizon. The coast faces north, so a rising Moon can clear the water when it rises north of due east, and a setting Moon can sit over the water when it sets north of due west, with a possible reflection; on other dates it rises or sets over land. It is a working waterfront, so usable areas vary with the tide, and you should use designated public areas only.

5

High Ridge & Malasag – Elevated Viewpoints

High Ridge is a restaurant and viewpoint overlooking the city, known for its night cityscape, and the Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village offers panoramic views over Macajalar Bay and the city, with Mapawa Nature Park nearby. Elevated viewpoints sit above the narrow coastal plain and can frame the Moon over the city or the bay when the azimuth lines up, though High Ridge looks out over the city's lights. These are commercial and eco-tourism sites, so check opening hours and use designated viewpoints.

6

PAGASA Regional Station – Telescope on Request

Cagayan de Oro has no regular public telescope night that is advertised. PAGASA, the national astronomy agency, has a regional field station in the city with a 25 cm telescope, and it says stargazing and telescoping sessions can be arranged there for residents. That means contacting PAGASA in advance. Check PAGASA and local schools for one-off events.

◉ Best Times for Moon Photography in Cagayan de Oro

🌕 Full Moon ±1 day — the Moon rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, though exact times shift with the date, so use the moonrise times above
🌔 1–2 days before full — a waxing gibbous Moon rises before sunset, giving a useful blue-hour window with some colour left in the sky, which balances the city and riverfront lights
🌊 Bay and river — the coast faces north, so the Moon is over Macajalar Bay only when it rises north of due east or sets north of due west, with possible reflections
☀ Dec–May — the drier months, with the best chance of a clear sky; a full Moon near the December solstice passes roughly 70° to 80° up
🌧 Jun–Nov — the rainy season, with typhoon activity typically peaking July to October; northern Mindanao does not always follow Luzon's pattern, so check PAGASA

📷 Quick Photography Tips for Cagayan de Oro

🎯Use a sturdy tripod in Gaston Park but stay on the designated paths, and keep it clear of walkways
📷Shoot RAW and expose for the lunar disc, because plaza and riverfront lighting is far dimmer than the Moon
📏Looney 11 as a starting point: f/11, ISO 100, 1/100s for a bright full Moon — not a guaranteed exposure, so check the histogram and adjust for phase, haze and any bay or river reflections
🌕To make the Moon look large against the cathedral or the Plaza Divisoria monuments, shoot from a substantial distance with a long telephoto lens: the distance sets the perspective and the long focal length lets you frame tightly
🌃The Divisoria commercial centre has strong artificial lighting; the bayfront and the elevated viewpoints may have less direct glare depending on where you stand
🌧Check the current PAGASA forecast, tide levels for Macajalar Bay, Cagayan River levels and wind advisories; haze, humidity and sea spray can reduce lunar contrast

🕐 Timezone: Cagayan de Oro runs on Philippine Standard Time (UTC+8) year-round; the Philippines does not observe daylight saving time. Photo-planning apps such as PhotoPills or Stellarium will work out the Moon's exact rise azimuth for any of these spots.

🔭 Telescope Option: Cagayan de Oro has no regular public telescope night. PAGASA's regional field station in the city has a 25 cm telescope, and sessions can be arranged there on request. Contact PAGASA in advance. For the moon phase in any other city, use the calculator on our home page.

Enjoy the Moon over Cagayan de Oro — a bay city with a river through it, a cluster of historic plazas, and hills behind where the whole sweep of lights can be seen from above.

The moon phase today in Cagayan de Oro City is shown in detail above — complete with exact illumination percentage, moonrise/set times, and the best local spots to see it. For the moon phase today in any other city worldwide, visit our Dynamic Moon Phase Calculator on the home page.

◐ What the Experience Actually Feels Like

At Gaston Park and Plaza Divisoria, the Moon shares the evening with historic Cagayan de Oro. The cathedral, the old plaza and the monuments sit in the middle of a busy commercial centre, so a moonrise there is an ordinary evening in town, and at this latitude the Moon climbs high rather than hugging the horizon.

Down by the river and the bay, the city turns to water. Duaw Kagayan Park looks over the Cagayan River, and the bayfront faces north across Macajalar Bay, so on dates when the Moon rises north of due east or sets north of due west, it can clear the water, with a reflection. On other dates it comes up over land, and the azimuth tool on this page will tell you which.

Up the hill, High Ridge and the Gardens of Malasag give a very different view, with the narrow coastal plain and the bay laid out below and the city's lights spread across it. The drier months from December make the better bet, and for the Moon through a telescope, PAGASA's regional station is the option, by arrangement.

"Cagayan de Oro has a river, a bay and a ridge behind it — three different places to watch the Moon from, within a short drive of each other."

✓ Your Cagayan de Oro Moon Chase Checklist

Before You Go

  • Check the moonrise time and phase on this page for your date — some days have no moonrise at all
  • Use PhotoPills or Stellarium to check whether the Moon will rise or set over the bay, the river or a landmark on your date
  • Check access for Gaston Park, Plaza Divisoria, Vicente de Lara Park and Duaw Kagayan Park, which can change with events and river levels
  • Check opening hours for High Ridge and the Malasag and Mapawa areas before a late visit
  • If you want a telescope, contact PAGASA's regional station in advance
  • Check the current PAGASA forecast, tide levels for Macajalar Bay and Cagayan River levels, especially from June to November

What to Bring

  • A telephoto lens, often 200 mm or longer, to frame the Moon tightly against the cathedral or the Plaza Divisoria monuments, plus a wider lens for bay and river reflections
  • A sturdy tripod and a remote shutter release or 2-second timer to avoid shake
  • A lens cloth for humidity, sea spray and haze, which are common in the evening
  • A light rain layer and water-resistant footwear during the rainy season, June to November
  • Some Philippine pesos for food or parking in the Divisoria commercial centre

On the Night

  • Arrive early at Gaston Park and Plaza Divisoria, which can get busier after sunset with commercial activity
  • Focus manually on the Moon's edge, since plaza and commercial lighting can confuse autofocus at dusk
  • Bracket exposures: one for the bright lunar disc and another for the darker plaza, lawns or river below
  • Stay in designated public areas, plaza paths and the public waterfront, and avoid private areas without permission
The Moon over Cagayan de Oro moves between the bay and the river valley, so what you see depends on the date and your viewpoint. Plazas, riverfront parks and upland sites have their own hours, and river and tide levels can change what is accessible, so check current conditions before any late-night setup. Use the tools on this page, pick your vantage point, and catch a Cagayan de Oro moonrise or moonset for yourself.

? Cagayan de Oro Moon Phase — Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the moon phase today in Cagayan de Oro?

The moon phase today in Cagayan de Oro is a Waning Crescent with 34% illumination. The next full moon is in 22 days, on Oct 26. Moonrise is at 12:28 AM and moonset at 1:29 PM.

Q. Where is the best place to view the moon in Cagayan de Oro?

Cagayan de Oro lies on Macajalar Bay on the north coast of Mindanao, on a narrow coastal plain with highlands rising behind it, so the choice is between downtown plazas and the hills above. Gaston Park, beside Saint Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral, and Plaza Divisoria, also called Golden Friendship Park, are the central plazas. Vicente de Lara Park sits in front of the provincial capitol, and Duaw Kagayan Park looks over the Cagayan River. High Ridge, a viewpoint restaurant, and the Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village give elevated views of the city and the bay.

Q. Can I look at the moon through a telescope in Cagayan de Oro?

Not at a regular public night that is advertised. PAGASA, the national astronomy agency, has a regional field station in Cagayan de Oro with a 25 cm telescope, and it says stargazing and telescoping sessions can be arranged there for residents of the city. That means contacting PAGASA in advance, since sessions are not a drop-in. Check PAGASA and local schools for one-off events, since observing depends on the weather.

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

At about 8.5°N, the Moon in Cagayan de Oro rises and sets fairly close to due east and west. A full moon near the December solstice passes high overhead, roughly 70° to 80° up and a little north of the zenith, while a full moon near the June solstice crosses the southern sky at roughly 53° to 64°. The coast faces north across Macajalar Bay, so the Moon is over the bay only when it rises north of due east or sets north of due west, and on other dates it rises or sets over land. Check the azimuth for your date and exact spot.

Q. Is light pollution a problem for moon observing in Cagayan de Oro?

The moon is bright enough to observe and photograph from almost anywhere in Cagayan de Oro, so light pollution rarely limits the lunar disc itself. It does wash out earthshine on a thin crescent and any faint sky detail. Cagayan de Oro is the biggest and most developed metropolitan area in its region, and the Divisoria commercial centre has substantial artificial lighting. The bayfront and the elevated viewpoints at High Ridge and Malasag may have less direct glare depending on where you stand, though High Ridge looks out over the city's lights.

Q. What camera settings and phases work best for moon photography in Cagayan de Oro?

For a full moon, start with Looney 11 (f/11, ISO 100, 1/100 s) and refine using your histogram, since it is a baseline rather than a guarantee. Shoot RAW and expose for the lunar disc, because plaza and riverfront lighting is far dimmer than the moon. To make the moon look large against the cathedral or the monuments at Plaza Divisoria, shoot from a substantial distance with a long telephoto lens, often 200 mm or longer. A waxing gibbous moon rises before sunset, giving a useful blue-hour window, and over the bay or river you can bracket exposures for reflections.

Q. How do the rainy season and typhoons affect moon viewing in Cagayan de Oro?

The Philippines has a rainy season from about June to November and a drier season from about December to May, with typhoon activity typically peaking from July to October. This is national climatological guidance, not a Cagayan de Oro prediction, and local weather in northern Mindanao does not necessarily follow the same pattern as Luzon. Cloud and humidity are the main obstacles, and haze or sea spray can soften the moon. Check the current PAGASA forecast, tide levels for Macajalar Bay, Cagayan River levels and wind advisories before going out.

Q. What time zone are Cagayan de Oro's moonrise and moonset times shown in?

Cagayan de Oro uses Philippine Standard Time, UTC+8, all year, and the Philippines does not observe daylight saving time, so there is no clock change to account for. Cagayan de Oro lies at about 124.6°E, east of the 120°E meridian on which UTC+8 is based, so the sun and moon cross the sky about 18 minutes earlier on the clock than they would on that meridian.

Q. Can I shoot the moon at Cagayan de Oro's viewpoints after dark?

Mostly, with care, but check each place. Gaston Park, Plaza Divisoria and Vicente de Lara Park are public civic spaces whose evening access and crowds vary with events, and Plaza Divisoria sits in a busy commercial centre. Duaw Kagayan Park and the riverside can be affected by river levels, so check current conditions. High Ridge is a commercial viewpoint, and the Malasag and Mapawa areas are upland eco-tourism sites, so use designated viewpoints and check opening hours before a late visit.