The Full Moon occurs when Earth is nearly directly between the Sun and Moon, fully illuminating the Moon’s Earth-facing hemisphere. The next major event is the Worm Moon at 6:38 a.m. ET on March 3, 2026, which coincides with a total lunar eclipse. This guide lists every Full Moon in 2026 with traditional names and times (Eastern), explains terms like Super Moon and Blue Moon, and provides selected daily sunrise/moonrise data for early February and a full set of lunar-phase dates for 2026.
2026 Full Moon Calendar: Dates, Names, Phases and Eclipses (Worm Moon Total Eclipse on March 3)
Note: Moon phases in the calendar vary in size due to the distance from Earth and are shown at 0h Universal Time. Credit: Astronomy: Roen Kelly
The Moon appears full when Earth sits nearly directly between the Sun and the Moon, allowing the lunar hemisphere that faces us to be fully illuminated. As the Moon orbits Earth, the angle of sunlight striking and reflecting off its surface changes, producing the familiar sequence of lunar phases.
Next Full Moon and Notable Events
Worm Moon — Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 6:38 a.m. ET. This Full Moon coincides with a total lunar eclipse, making it an especially striking event for skywatchers across the eclipse visibility zone.
Full Moons in 2026 (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*
Note: Times are Eastern unless otherwise specified. Asterisks indicate Full Moons that occur near lunar perigee and are commonly called Super Moons.
Selected Day-by-Day Times (Reference Location: 40° N, 90° W)
The following sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset and percent-illumination values are given for the reference coordinates 40° N, 90° W. Percent illumination is listed for 10:00 p.m. local time at that location.
Wednesday, February 4
Sunrise: 7:05 A.M. | Sunset: 5:23 P.M. | Moonrise: 8:43 P.M. | Moonset: 8:31 A.M. | Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (88%)
Thursday, February 5
Sunrise: 7:04 A.M. | Sunset: 5:24 P.M. | Moonrise: 9:48 P.M. | Moonset: 8:53 A.M. | Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (81%)
A composite of each month’s Full Moon in 2020 and 2021. Credit: Soumyadeep Mukherjee
Friday, February 6
Sunrise: 7:03 A.M. | Sunset: 5:26 P.M. | Moonrise: 10:51 P.M. | Moonset: 9:14 A.M. | Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (72%)
Saturday, February 7
Sunrise: 7:02 A.M. | Sunset: 5:27 P.M. | Moonrise: 11:55 P.M. | Moonset: 9:37 A.M. | Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (63%)
Understanding Lunar Phases
The canonical sequence of lunar phases is: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter (Third Quarter), and Waning Crescent. The interval from one Full Moon to the next — the synodic or lunar month — averages about 29.5 days. Although the exact instant of fullness is a precise astronomical moment, the Moon often appears essentially full to casual observers for roughly three days centered on that instant.
Names And Special Types Of Full Moons
Many traditional Full Moon names come from Native American, Colonial American, and other North American agricultural and natural observations. These names helped communities track seasons and natural cycles:
- Wolf Moon (Jan): Associated with wolf howls in winter.
- Snow Moon (Feb): Named for heavy winter snows.
- Worm Moon (Mar): Signals earthworms returning as the ground thaws.
- Pink Moon (Apr): For pink wildflowers that bloom in spring.
- Flower Moon (May): Celebrates abundant blossoms.
- Strawberry Moon (Jun): Marks the strawberry harvest.
- Buck Moon (Jul): When bucks grow new antlers.
- Sturgeon Moon (Aug): Tied to plentiful sturgeon in some regions.
- Corn Moon (Sep): Signifies corn harvesting time.
- Hunter’s Moon (Oct): Associated with autumn hunting.
- Beaver Moon (Nov): Reflects beavers building winter dams.
- Cold Moon (Dec): Evokes winter’s chill.
Other commonly used terms:
- Super Moon: A Full Moon near lunar perigee (the Moon’s closest approach to Earth), appearing slightly larger and brighter. A conventional threshold is within about 90% of the Moon’s closest orbital distance.
- Blue Moon: The second Full Moon in a calendar month that contains two Full Moons. Blue Moons occur roughly every 2.7 years and are not actually blue (except in rare atmospheric conditions such as volcanic aerosols).
- Black Moon: An informal term with multiple definitions — commonly either the third of four New Moons in an astronomical season or the second New Moon in a calendar month. A Black Moon is simply a New Moon and is not visible.
- Harvest Moon: The Full Moon nearest the autumnal equinox (usually in September). It often rises soon after sunset for several nights, giving extended evening light historically valuable to farmers.
Full vs. New Moon — And Tides
A Full Moon occurs when Earth is between the Sun and Moon, lighting the Moon’s near side. A New Moon occurs when the Moon lies between Earth and the Sun and its near side is dark as seen from Earth. During both Full and New Moons, the Sun, Earth and Moon are approximately aligned; the combined gravitational pull of Sun and Moon produces spring tides, which yield higher high tides and lower low tides than average.
All Lunar Phase Dates For 2026 (Quick Reference)
January: New Jan. 3 | First Quarter Jan. 10 | Full Jan. 18 | Last Quarter Jan. 25
February: New Feb. 1 | First Quarter Feb. 9 | Full Feb. 17 | Last Quarter Feb. 24
March: New March 3 | First Quarter March 11 | Full March 18 | Last Quarter March 25
April: New April 1 | First Quarter April 10 | Full April 17 | Last Quarter April 23
May: New May 1 | First Quarter May 9 | Full May 16 | Last Quarter May 23
Late May / June: New May 31 | First Quarter June 8 | Full June 14 | Last Quarter June 21
Late June / July: New June 29 | First Quarter July 7 | Full July 14 | Last Quarter July 21
Late July / August: New July 29 | First Quarter Aug. 5 | Full Aug. 12 | Last Quarter Aug. 19
Late August / September: New Aug. 28 | First Quarter Sept. 4 | Full Sept. 10 | Last Quarter Sept. 18
Late September / October: New Sept. 26 | First Quarter Oct. 3 | Full Oct. 10 | Last Quarter Oct. 18
Late October / November: New Oct. 26 | First Quarter Nov. 1 | Full Nov. 9 | Last Quarter Nov. 17
Late November / December: New Nov. 24 | First Quarter Dec. 1 | Full Dec. 8 | Last Quarter Dec. 17 | New Dec. 23 (additional New Moon listed Dec. 30 in some almanacs)
For weekly observing tips, eclipse visibility maps, and the most up-to-date moonrise/moonset times for your specific location, consult dedicated astronomy resources or an up-to-date skywatching column.
Originally published by Astronomy Magazine. Times and dates in this article are presented in Eastern Time where noted.
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