Lunar calendar

What is a Lunar Calendar?

A lunar calendar is a fun way to count days using our Moon. Instead of counting days based on how long it takes the Earth to go around the Sun, a lunar calendar watches the Moon change shapes. Each month matches how long it takes the Moon to go through all its different looks, called phases.

How Does It Work?

The Moon’s cycle is about 29 and a half days long. That means lunar calendar months switch between 29 and 30 days. If we count 12 of these Moon-based months, we get about 354 days. This is a little shorter than a full year based on the Sun. Because of this, the months in a lunar calendar move through all the seasons.

Famous Lunar Calendars

The most well-known lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar. Some cultures start their months when they see the first thin part of the Moon, called a Hilal. Others start at the new moon or the day after the full moon. Many places around the world celebrate a special lunar new year to welcome the beginning of a new year in this calendar.

Fun Fact

People have been watching the Moon to keep track of time for a very long time. Some think they started doing this maybe as early as 28,000 to 30,000 years ago! Today, several cultures, like Chinese, Korean, and Hebrew, use calendars that mix both the Moon and the Sun, called lunisolar calendars.