The phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment ensures the entire side of the Moon that faces us gleams under sunlight. Thanks to the Moon’s orbit around Earth, the angle of sunlight hitting the lunar surface and being reflected back to our planet changes. That creates different lunar phases.
The next Full Moon in 2024 is at 2:26 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 19, and is called the Sturgeon Moon.
We’ll update this article multiple times each week with the latest moonrise, moonset, Full Moon schedule, and some of what you can see in the sky each week.
Here’s the complete list of Full Moons this year and their traditional names.
2024 Full Moon schedule and names of each
(all times Eastern)
- Jan. 25 — 12:54 p.m. — Wolf Moon
- Feb. 24 —7:30 a.m. — Snow Moon
- March 25 — 3 a.m. — Worm Moon
- April 23 — 7:49 p.m. — Pink Moon
- May 23 — 9:53 a.m. — Flower Moon
- Friday, June 21 — 9:08 p.m. — Strawberry Moon
- Sunday, July 21 — 6:17 a.m. — Buck Moon
- Monday, Aug. 19 — 2:26 p.m. — Sturgeon Moon
- Tuesday, Sept. 17 — 10:34 p.m. — Corn Moon
- Thursday, Oct. 17 — 7:26 a.m. — Hunter’s Moon
- Friday, Nov. 15 — 4:28 p.m. — Beaver Moon
- Sunday, Dec. 15 — 4:02 a.m. — Cold Moon
The phases of the Moon in July 2024
The images below show the day-by-day phases of the Moon In July. The Full Moon this month was Sunday, July 21.
The moonrise and moonset schedule this week
The following is adapted from Alison Klesman’s The Sky This Week article, which you can find here.
Friday, July 26
Sunrise: 5:54 A.M.
Sunset: 8:19 P.M.
Moonrise: 11:27 P.M.
Moonset: 11:59 A.M.
Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (66%)
Saturday, July 27
Last Quarter Moon occurs at 10:52 P.M. EDT tonight, setting the stage for relatively dark morning skies in just a few days when the Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks — as well as the Perseids in early August.
Sunrise: 5:55 A.M.
Sunset: 8:18 P.M.
Moonrise: 11:54 P.M.
Moonset: 1:13 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning gibbous (55%)
Sunday, July 28
Sunrise: 5:55 A.M.
Sunset: 8:17 P.M.
Moonrise: —
Moonset: 2:26 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (44%)
Monday, July 29
The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus at 2 P.M. EDT. You’ll find the pair in the early-morning skies, some 35° high around 4 A.M. local daylight time.
Uranus lies in far western Taurus, about 5.5° south of the easy-to-spot Pleiades star cluster (M45). The ice giant itself is best observed with binoculars or a telescope, as it glows at a faint magnitude 5.8. As a closer signpost if you’re star-hopping, Uranus is some 1.5° west of a pair of 6th-magnitude stars: 13 and 14 Tauri.
The planet itself is just 4″ across — large enough, though, to help differentiate it from background stars in the same field. Uranus should look more like a tiny disk than a pinpoint star and may appear a flat, grayish in color to the eye.
The waning Moon, meanwhile, is some 4.7° to Uranus’ upper right (northwest) this morning, just over the celestial border in Aries. As it makes its way into Taurus later in the day, our satellite will occult several stars — Eta, 27, 17, and 20 Tau — for observers in southeast Asia, Indonesia, and western Australia. If you live in these locales, check out the International Occultation Timing Association’s website for 2024 bright star occultations for more details on the timing and visibility from your location.
Sunrise: 5:56 A.M.
Sunset: 8:16 P.M.
Moonrise: 12:25 A.M.
Moonset: 3:40 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (33%)
Tuesday, July 30
The Moon continues through Taurus at a good clip, passing 5° north of Mars at 7 A.M. EDT. Some 13 hours later, Luna passes 5° north of Jupiter at 8 P.M. EDT.
Sunrise: 5:57 A.M.
Sunset: 8:15 P.M.
Moonrise: 1:02 A.M.
Moonset: 4:51 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (23%)
Wednesday, July 31
The Southern Delta Aquariids peak today with a maximum zenithal rate of 25 meteors per hour. The best time to try to spot shower meteors is in the early-morning hours, when the radiant — the spot on the sky from which meteors appear to streak away — is relatively high and the regions on Earth that are headed for daylight are rotating into the meteoroid stream.
Try around 3 A.M. local daylight time, when the radiant stands a little more than 30° high in the south. The radiant is in the southwestern regions of Aquarius, just 6° east of 3rd-magnitude Deneb Algedi in Capricornus. You can expect to see about 12 or so meteors per hour at this time though note the waning Moon might mask some of the fainter ones. Try looking a little way away from Aquarius, to either side, for the best chances of catching longer bright trains left as the meteors vaporize in our atmosphere.
The shower’s peak also coincides with the peak of the much weaker Alpha Capricornids, whose radiant lies in northwestern Capricornus. That shower’s maximum zenithal rate is only 5 meteors per hour; ultimately, it may add a meteor or two per hour to those you see coming from Aquarius.
The Southern Delta Aquariids are medium-fast meteors that zip through our atmosphere with an average speed of 26 miles (41 kilometers) per second. They are generated by debris left behind by Comet 96P/Machholz, which orbits the Sun every 5.3 years. The Alpha Capricornids, despite originating from a similar region on the sky, are borne of Comet 169P/NEAT, which has a period of 4.2 years. These are much slower-moving meteors, with speeds of 15 miles (24 km) per second.
Sunrise: 5:58 A.M.
Sunset: 8:14 P.M.
Moonrise: 1:48 A.M.
Moonset: 5:56 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (15%)
Thursday, August 1
Sunrise: 5:59 A.M.
Sunset: 8:13 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:42 A.M.
Moonset: 6:51 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (8%)
Friday, August 2
Sunrise: 6:00 A.M.
Sunset: 8:12 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:44 A.M.
Moonset: 7:37 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (3%)
The phases of the Moon
The phases of the Moon are: New Moon, waxing crescent, First Quarter, waxing gibbous, Full Moon, waning gibbous, Last Quarter, and waning crescent. A cycle starting from one Full Moon to its next counterpart, termed the synodic month or lunar month, lasts about 29.5 days.
Though a Full Moon only occurs during the exact moment when Earth, Moon, and Sun form a perfect alignment, to our eyes, the Moon seems Full for around three days.
RELATED: 20 things to see on the Moon
Different names for different types of Full Moon
There are a wide variety of specialized names used to identify distinct types or timings of Full Moons. These names primarily trace back to a blend of cultural, agricultural, and natural observations about the Moon, aimed at allowing humans to not only predict seasonal changes, but also track the passage of time.
For instance, almost every month’s Full Moon boasts a name sourced from Native American, Colonial American, or other North American traditions, with their titles mirroring seasonal shifts and nature’s events.
Wolf Moon (January): Inspired by the cries of hungry wolves.
Snow Moon (February): A nod to the month’s often heavy snowfall.
Worm Moon (March): Named after the earthworms that signal thawing grounds.
Pink Moon (April): In honor of the blossoming pink wildflowers.
Flower Moon (May): Celebrating the bloom of flowers.
Strawberry Moon (June): Marks the prime strawberry harvest season.
Buck Moon (July): Recognizing the new antlers on bucks.
Sturgeon Moon (August): Named after the abundant sturgeon fish.
Corn Moon (September): Signifying the corn harvesting period.
Hunter’s Moon (October): Commemorating the hunting season preceding winter.
Beaver Moon (November): Reflects the time when beavers are busy building their winter dams.
Cold Moon (December): Evocative of winter’s chill.
In addition, there are a few additional names for Full Moons that commonly make their way into public conversations and news.
Super Moon: This term is reserved for a Full Moon that aligns with the lunar perigee, which is the Moon’s nearest point to Earth in its orbit. This proximity renders the Full Moon unusually large and luminous. For a Full Moon to earn the Super Moon tag, it should be within approximately 90 percent of its closest distance to Earth.
Blue Moon: A Blue Moon is the second Full Moon in a month that experiences two Full Moons. This phenomenon graces our skies roughly every 2.7 years. Though the term suggests a color, Blue Moons aren’t truly blue. Very occasionally, atmospheric conditions such as recent volcanic eruptions might lend the Moon a slightly blueish tint, but this hue isn’t tied to the term.
Harvest Moon: Occurring closest to the autumnal equinox, typically in September, the Harvest Moon is often renowned for a distinct orange tint it might display. This Full Moon rises close to sunset and sets near sunrise, providing extended hours of bright moonlight. Historically, this was invaluable to farmers gathering their produce.
Common questions about Full Moons
What is the difference between a Full Moon and a New Moon? A Full Moon is witnessed when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, making the entire Moon’s face visible. Conversely, during a New Moon, the Moon lies between Earth and the Sun, shrouding its Earth-facing side in darkness.
How does the Full Moon influence tides? The Moon’s gravitational tug causes Earth’s waters to bulge, birthing tides. During both Full and New Moons, the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in alignment, generating “spring tides.” These tides can swing exceptionally high or low due to the combined gravitational influences of the Sun and Moon.
Here are the dates for all the lunar phases in 2024:
| New | First Quarter | Full | Last Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 3 | |||
| Jan. 11 | Jan. 17 | Jan. 25 | Feb. 2 |
| Feb. 9 | Feb. 16 | Feb. 24 | March 3 |
| March 10 | March 17 | March 25 | April 1 |
| April 8 | April 15 | April 23 | May 1 |
| May 7 | May 15 | May 23 | May 30 |
| June 6 | June 14 | June 21 | June 28 |
| July 5 | July 13 | July 21 | July 27 |
| Aug. 4 | Aug. 12 | Aug. 19 | Aug 26 |
| Sept. 2 | Sept. 11 | Sept. 17 | Sept. 24 |
| Oct. 2 | Oct. 10 | Oct. 17 | Oct. 24 |
| Nov. 1 | Nov. 9 | Nov. 15 | Nov. 22 |
| Dec. 1 | Dec. 8 | Dec. 15 | Dec. 22 |
| Dec. 30 |
