The moon's position in the sky changes throughout the night and varies significantly from day to day. Unlike the sun, the moon's cycle doesn't match our 24-hour day, causing it to rise about 50 minutes later each day.
Lunar Altitude
Altitude is the angle of the moon above the horizon, measured in degrees. At moonrise/moonset, altitude is 0°. The moon can reach high altitudes (up to 60-70° in mid-latitudes), but never directly overhead except near the tropics. The maximum altitude varies with the moon's orbital position and the observer's latitude.
Lunar Azimuth
Azimuth is the compass direction to the moon, measured in degrees from true north (0°). The moon's path across the sky varies much more than the sun's. Sometimes it rises in the northeast and sometimes in the southeast, depending on where it is in its monthly cycle.
The Moon's 18.6-Year Cycle
The moon's orbit is tilted about 5° from Earth's orbital plane. This tilt wobbles over an 18.6-year cycle, causing the moon's maximum altitude to vary significantly over time. At major lunar standstill, the moon can appear very high or very low in the sky.
Daily Lag
The moon rises about 50 minutes later each day because it orbits Earth in the same direction Earth rotates. This means some nights the moon isn't visible at all during evening hours, and other times it's visible all night.