The Moon sets in the west , just like the Sun, but the exact spot on the horizon is usually a bit north or south of due west depending on the date, your location, and the Moon’s phase.

Quick Scoop: Where the Moon Sets

  • In general, the Moon rises in the east and sets in the west because Earth spins from west to east.
  • It often sets slightly west‑northwest or west‑southwest , not perfectly due west.
  • Around the spring and fall equinoxes, a full Moon sets close to due west.
  • The exact direction changes night to night because the Moon’s orbit is tilted and it moves about 12–13 degrees east per day, making moonrise and moonset about 50 minutes later each day.

A Simple Way to Picture It

Imagine watching a full Moon on a clear evening:

  • As the Sun goes down in the west, the full Moon rises roughly opposite it in the east.
  • Through the night it arcs across the sky.
  • By morning, it disappears below the western horizon, sometimes a bit toward the northwest or southwest instead of straight west.

Extra: Why It’s Not Always the Same Spot

  • The Moon orbits Earth in about 27.3 days, shifting its position each day.
  • Its orbit is tilted about 5 degrees relative to Earth’s path around the Sun, so its track across your sky wiggles north and south over the year.
  • Your latitude also changes how high its path looks and where on your local horizon moonset appears.

Mini HTML Table for Direction

Here’s a small HTML table summarizing typical moonset directions:

html

<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Situation</th>
    <th>Typical Moonset Direction</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>General case</td>
    <td>West, with some north/south shift</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Near equinox, full Moon</td>
    <td>Close to due west</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Other times of year</td>
    <td>West-northwest or west-southwest</td>
  </tr>
</table>

In short, if you’re wondering “where does the Moon set?” — look toward the western horizon, knowing that it slides a little north or south from night to night. 🌙

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.