The moon is our only natural satellite at a mean distance of around 384,000 km. This corresponds to around 1.2 light seconds. Its gravity has a great influence on the earth, just think of the ebb and flow of the tide. In the field of astrophotography, the moon is more of a nuisance, after all it brightens the sky massively. Therefore, the new moon phases are the most interesting for astrophotographers.