> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/osint-tools/mooncalc.md). # MoonCalc | **MoonCalc** | **Quick Overview** | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | URL | | | What it does | Calculates the moon's position, phase, illumination, rise and set times, helping assess whether night-time lighting conditions are consistent with a claimed location and time. | | How to use it | Select a location, date and time to compare the predicted moon position and illumination with photographs or video evidence. | | Cost | Free. | | Account required | No. | | Cookies | Standard Google authentication, security and consent cookies, along with PayPal security cookies. | | Ownership | Owned and developed by Torsten Hoffmann, a software developer and designer. | | Use in Reporting | Supports the verification of night-time imagery. | ### What does MoonCalc do? MoonCalc calculates the moon's position, phase, illumination, azimuth, elevation and rise/set times for any location and date. It also displays the expected direction of moonlight, allowing investigators to assess whether observed lighting conditions in photographs or videos are plausible. It can assist with chronolocation by determining whether the visible moon phase and lighting match the claimed capture time, and with geolocation by comparing the expected direction of moonlight with shadows or illuminated features. **The lowdown:** It’s ideal for analysing night-time imagery by calculating moon position, phase and illumination. ### How to Use: **1. Navigate to the suspected location using the interactive map or search function.** **2. Select the relevant date and adjust the time to display the moon's predicted position, phase and illumination.** **3. Compare the calculated moon position and lighting conditions with the image or video being analysed and corroborate findings using additional OSINT tools.** ### Cost * [x] Free * [ ] Partially Free * [ ] Paid ## Data Processing ### Account Required: * [ ] Yes * [x] No ### Cookies: The site uses standard Google authentication, security and consent cookies, along with PayPal security cookies. They are not specific to MoonCalc itself but are typically set because the site embeds Google Maps and offers PayPal donations. ### Use in Reporting MoonCalc can be used to: * Support the verification of night-time photographs and videos by comparing the observed moon phase and illumination with predicted lunar conditions. * Assist with chronolocation by estimating whether the moon's position and visibility are consistent with a claimed capture date and time. * Support geolocation assessments by comparing the direction of moonlight with visible lighting, shadows or environmental features. * Identify potential inconsistencies in open-source media, such as a claimed date or location that does not match expected lunar conditions. * Provide supporting evidence in incident investigations, conflict monitoring and verification reports involving night-time footage. Open-source investigators have used lunar phase and illumination checks when analysing night-time videos from conflict zones, helping assess whether visible lighting conditions are consistent with the claimed date and location. MoonCalc can support this type of verification alongside satellite imagery, weather data and other geolocation methods. | **Capabilities** | **Limitations** | | ------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Calculates moon position for any location and time. | Applicable only where the moon is visible or contributes to scene lighting. | | Displays moon phase and percentage illumination. | Cannot verify images independently of other evidence. | | Provides moonrise and moonset times. | Weather and cloud cover may obscure the moon. | | Visualises moon azimuth and elevation. | Artificial lighting can reduce the usefulness of lunar analysis. | | Supports chronolocation and geolocation of night-time media. | Accuracy depends on correct location, date, and time inputs. | | Free and simple interactive map interface. |


| ### Summary MoonCalc is most valuable during the analysis and validation phases of the OSINT workflow, where investigators need to assess whether the moon's position, phase and illumination are consistent with the claimed location and capture time of night-time photographs or videos. While it provides robust astronomical calculations, its findings should be corroborated with additional geolocation, weather and contextual evidence. ### Ownership Owned and developed by [Torsten Hoffmann](https://www.torsten-hoffmann.de/web.html), an individual developer based in Germany. ### Ethical Considerations * Use only to analyse lawfully obtained and publicly available material. * Avoid drawing conclusions based solely on lunar calculations. * Clearly document all assumptions and calculation inputs. * Validate findings using multiple independent sources. * Respect privacy and applicable legal and organisational policies during investigations. ### Related Tools: * [SunCalc](/osint-tools/suncalc.md) * Google Earth Pro * [Mapillary](/osint-tools/mapillary.md) * PeakVisor * Sentinel Hub #### Sources