2026 Full Moon Calendar: Dates, Names, Eclipses and What to Watch

The Full Moon occurs when Earth lies nearly directly between the Sun and the Moon, allowing the hemisphere facing our planet to be fully illuminated. As the Moon orbits Earth, the angle of sunlight reaching and reflecting from the lunar surface shifts, producing the familiar sequence of lunar phases.

Upcoming Full Moon

The next Full Moon is the Snow Moon, which reaches peak illumination at 5:09 P.M. EST on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. This guide will be updated regularly with moonrise and moonset times, weekly skywatching notes and the Full Moon schedule for 2026.

Full Moon Dates and Traditional Names (All Times Eastern; * = Super Moon)

• Saturday, Jan. 3 — 5:03 A.M. — Wolf Moon*
• Sunday, Feb. 1 — 5:09 P.M. — Snow Moon
• Tuesday, March 3 — 6:38 A.M. — Worm Moon | Total Lunar Eclipse
• Wednesday, April 1 — 10:12 P.M. — Pink Moon
• Friday, May 1 — 1:23 P.M. — Flower Moon
• Sunday, May 31 — 4:45 A.M. — Blue Moon (second Full Moon in May)
• Monday, June 29 — 7:57 P.M. — Strawberry Moon
• Wednesday, July 29 — 10:36 A.M. — Buck Moon
• Friday, Aug. 28 — 12:19 A.M. — Sturgeon Moon | Partial Lunar Eclipse
• Saturday, Sept. 26 — 12:49 P.M. — Corn Moon
• Monday, Oct. 26 — 12:12 A.M. — Hunter’s Moon
• Tuesday, Nov. 24 — 9:54 A.M. — Beaver Moon*
• Wednesday, Dec. 23 — 8:28 P.M. — Cold Moon*

January Day-by-Day (Sample Location: 40° N, 90° W)

These sample sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset times are given for the reference location 40° N, 90° W. Moon illumination values are shown for 10 P.M. local time at that site. All other times are Eastern unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, January 28

Sunrise: 7:12 A.M. — Sunset: 5:15 P.M.
Moonrise: 12:28 P.M. — Moonset: 3:28 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous (82%)

Thursday, January 29

The Moon reaches perigee (its closest orbital approach to Earth) at 4:46 P.M. EST, at a distance of 227,341 miles (365,870 kilometers).
Sunrise: 7:11 A.M. — Sunset: 5:16 P.M.
Moonrise: 1:29 P.M. — Moonset: 4:39 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous (90%)

Friday, January 30

At 9 P.M. EST the Moon will pass about 4° north of Jupiter in the central region of Gemini. The Moon will appear upper-left of Jupiter, with Gemini’s bright stars Castor and Pollux nearby.
Sunrise: 7:10 A.M. — Sunset: 5:17 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:39 P.M. — Moonset: 5:41 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous (96%)

Understanding Lunar Phases

The Moon cycles through New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter and Waning Crescent. The synodic month—the time from one Full Moon to the next—lasts about 29.5 days. Although the precise instant of a Full Moon is momentary, the Moon appears visually full for roughly three days centered on that instant.

Named Full Moons and Their Origins

Many traditional Full Moon names come from Native American, Colonial American and other North American naming traditions tied to seasonal and natural events. These names helped communities track agricultural cycles and seasonal changes.

• Wolf Moon (January): From the howls of hungry wolves.
• Snow Moon (February): Reflects heavy winter snowfall.
• Worm Moon (March): Signals earthworms returning as the ground thaws.
• Pink Moon (April): Named for pink spring wildflowers.
• Flower Moon (May): Celebrates abundant spring blooms.
• Strawberry Moon (June): Marks peak strawberry harvest.
• Buck Moon (July): When male deer grow new antlers.
• Sturgeon Moon (August): For plentiful sturgeon in lakes and rivers.
• Corn Moon (September): Signifies corn harvest time.
• Hunter’s Moon (October): Traditionally aids hunters preparing for winter.
• Beaver Moon (November): When beavers are active building winter dams.
• Cold Moon (December): Evokes the deep chill of winter.

Special Moon Terms

Super Moon: A Full Moon near lunar perigee (the Moon’s closest point to Earth), appearing slightly larger and brighter. Typically defined as within ~90% of the Moon’s closest orbital distance.

A composite of each month’s Full Moon in 2020 and 2021. Credit: Soumyadeep Mukherjee

Blue Moon: The second Full Moon in a single calendar month that has two Full Moons (occurs roughly every 2.7 years). The term does not imply a blue color, except under unusual atmospheric conditions like volcanic ash.

Black Moon: An informal term that can mean either the third New Moon in a season with four New Moons, or the second New Moon in a calendar month. A Black Moon is simply a New Moon and is not visible from Earth (except during a total solar eclipse).

Harvest Moon: The Full Moon nearest the autumnal equinox, often rising shortly after sunset and providing extra evening light historically useful for harvesting.

Full Moon vs. New Moon and Tidal Effects

A Full Moon occurs when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, fully illuminating the Moon’s near side. A New Moon occurs when the Moon lies between Earth and the Sun and the near side is dark. When the Sun, Earth and Moon align at Full and New Moon, their combined gravitational pull produces stronger "spring tides," which lead to higher high tides and lower low tides.

2026 Lunar Phase Dates (New | First Quarter | Full | Last Quarter)

Jan. 3 | Jan. 10 | Jan. 18 | Jan. 25
Feb. 1 | Feb. 9 | Feb. 17 | Feb. 24
March 3 | March 11 | March 18 | March 25
April 1 | April 10 | April 17 | April 23
May 1 | May 9 | May 16 | May 23
May 31 | June 8 | June 14 | June 21
June 29 | July 7 | July 14 | July 21
July 29 | Aug. 5 | Aug. 12 | Aug. 19
Aug. 28 | Sept. 4 | Sept. 10 | Sept. 18
Sept. 26 | Oct. 3 | Oct. 10 | Oct. 18
Oct. 26 | Nov. 1 | Nov. 9 | Nov. 17
Nov. 24 | Dec. 1 | Dec. 8 | Dec. 17
Dec. 23 | Dec. 30

If you want weekly skywatching tips and event details, consult a dedicated "Sky This Week" column or another trusted astronomy resource. Clear skies!

Originally published on Astronomy Magazine.