when i found the sticky on setting up the lights and the season table
i totally missed this one detail and now i see how it has left me confused at first:

Moon Rise and Set – The exception to the ‘first day of the month’ rule. The time that you enter is the Moon Rise and/or Set time for the day that represents the new Moon (the intensity will be 0). Once you update, the system will alter the Moon Rise/Set for each day by 40 – 50 minutes to mimic a full lunar cycle.


The exception to the ‘first day of the month’ rule. The time that you enter is the Moon Rise and/or Set time for the day that represents the new Moon

so when you enter the sun times use the first of the month but for the moon use the day of the new moon *NOT* the first o the month!!

if you do not note that and use the first of the month then your moon lights will seem to be all wrong and backwards etc....