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 will be the August Sturgeon Moon, which occurs at 12:19 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. This date also brings a partial lunar eclipse.
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.
2026 Full Moon schedule and names of each
(All times Eastern; * denotes a 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
- 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*
The phases of the Moon in August 2026
The images below show the day-by-day phases of the Moon in August. The Full Moon this month will be on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.
The moonrise and moonset schedule this week
The times below for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location. All other times are Eastern unless otherwise specified. For more details on upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column.
Saturday, August 15
Look for Venus just to the upper left of the waxing crescent Moon this evening, slowly sinking as the sky grows darker. Both are located in Virgo, not far from the lovely double star Porrima. They disappear about 90 minutes after sunset.
Sunrise: 6:12 A.M.
Sunset: 7:57 P.M.
Moonrise: 9:29 A.M.
Moonset: 9:22 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (14%)
Sunday, August 16
The Moon passes 2° south of Venus at 5 A.M. EDT, although neither is visible at that time. Instead, the Moon rises around midmorning and remains visible until after sunset. By evening, it stands side by side with Venus in the twilit sky, both still within the bounds of the large constellation Virgo.
As the sky grows darker, bright Venus will quickly appear, about 9.5° to the right of the crescent Moon. To the upper left of the Moon is 1st-magnitude Spica, the brightest star in Virgo.
Sunrise: 6:13 A.M.
Sunset: 7:55 P.M.
Moonrise: 10:36 A.M.
Moonset: 9:45 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (22%)
Monday, August 17
Sunrise: 6:13 A.M.
Sunset: 7:54 P.M.
Moonrise: 11:42 A.M.
Moonset: 10:10 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (31%)
Tuesday, August 18
Sunrise: 6:14 A.M.
Sunset: 7:53 P.M.
Moonrise: 12:47 P.M.
Moonset: 10:38 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (41%)
Wednesday, August 19
First Quarter Moon occurs at 10:46 p.m. EDT. The Moon is up nearly all evening, not setting until after 11 P.M. local daylight time.
Sunrise: 6:15 A.M.
Sunset: 7:51 P.M.
Moonrise: 1:52 P.M.
Moonset: 11:11 P.M.
Moon Phase: First Quarter
Thursday, August 20
The waxing gibbous Moon dominates the evening sky, located in Scorpius. You’ll find it close to the Scorpion’s red giant heart, 1st-magnitude Antares. Watch it close in as the hours tick by — our satellite will pass just 0.6° south of this star at 1 A.M. EDT on the 21st, visible from the western half of the U.S.
An hour after sunset, the pair is roughly 20° high in the south. Zoom in on the Moon with a telescope and seek out the large, flat-floored crater Plato, located in the lunar north, along the northern rim of Mare Imbrium (the Sea of Rains). The crater should stand out clearly as a dark spot along the rugged rim of Imbrium.
With the crater floor in your eyepiece, watch as the shadows streaking across it shorten as the Sun rises higher in the lunar sky. Over Plato, the terminator (the line dividing lunar night and day) is moving at nearly 6 mph (9.7 km/h), and you can notice changes in the shadows here in just a few hours.
Although Plato’s broad floor may appear flat and featureless at first, look closely — there are several smaller craterlets carving out material here, like someone took an ice cream scoop to the Moon’s surface. These came after Plato’s initial formation, which was more than 3 billion years ago.
Once you’re through with Plato, take a moment to skim just a bit southeast along Imbrium’s edge. Not far from Plato, there’s a straight slash mark, this time like someone gouged out a piece of the mountainous terrain with a palette knife. This is called Vallis Alpes, or the Alpine Valley, and it cuts through (perhaps predictably) the Montes Alpes, or lunar Alps.
Sunrise: 6:16 A.M.
Sunset: 7:50 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:54 P.M.
Moonset: 11:50 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (60%)
Friday, August 21
The Moon passes 0.6° south of Antares at 1 A.M. EDT, although it will have set before this for the eastern half of the U.S. Nonetheless, this part of the country will still see our satellite closely approaching the star before the pair sets.
Sunrise: 6:17 A.M.
Sunset: 7:48 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:52 P.M.
Moonset: —
Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (69%)
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.
Black Moon: A Black Moon is a recent, unofficial term that can describe one of two situations. Either the third of four New Moons in a single astronomical season or the second of two New Moons in a month is a Black Moon. As its name suggests, the Black Moon is completely dark, as it is a New Moon that occurs when the Moon is between the Sun and Earth. The New Moon cannot be observed except during a total solar eclipse.
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 2026:
| 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 |
