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Thirteen full moons will occur in the year 2026.(Image credit: Getty Images)ShareShare by:
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Share this article 0Engage in the discussionFollow usInclude us as a favored source on GoogleNewsletterSign up for our newsletterWhen will the next full moon appear?
The full moon in January, referred to as the Wolf Moon, will emerge on Saturday, Jan. 3, representing the second-highest full moon observed throughout the year. The moon attains its fullest state at exactly 5:03 a.m. EST and will also present itself as radiant and complete on Friday (Jan. 2) and Sunday (Jan. 4).
Supermoons transpire when the full moon emerges proximate to perigee, marking its nearest proximity to Earth along its elliptical path, resulting in an impression of increased size and brightness relative to a standard full moon. (Conversely, a micromoon manifests when the full moon aligns with apogee, its most distant location from Earth, making it seem reduced in scale from our vantage point.)
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Full moons of 2026: A synopsis
Throughout 2026, you’ll be afforded the opportunity to witness 13 full moons, encompassing three supermoons alongside a pair of lunar eclipses (one of which signifies the last total lunar eclipse until New Year’s Eve of 2028). Despite the acknowledgment among seasoned moon observers that the night of the full moon isn’t the most conducive for scrutinizing the lunar landscape (even when utilizing quality binoculars), the ascendance of the full moon as a sphere at nightfall constitutes a stellar spectacle that is difficult to surpass.
Full moon guide: What are the dates of the 2026 full moons?
The ensuing enumeration details all full moon dates and times anticipated for 2026, as per timeanddate.com, incorporating the appellations most frequently employed within North America:
- Saturday, Jan. 3: Wolf Moon (10:02 UTC/5:02 a.m. EST) — coincidentally, a supermoon
- Sunday, Feb. 1: Snow Moon (22:09 UTC/5:09 p.m. EST)
- Tuesday, March 3: Worm Moon (11:37 UTC/6:37 a.m. EST) — furthermore, a total lunar eclipse
- Wednesday, April 1: Pink Moon (02:11 UTC on April 2/10:11 p.m. EDT on April 1)
- Friday, May 1: Flower Moon (17:23 UTC/1:23 p.m. EDT)
- Sunday, May 31: Blue Moon (08:45 UTC/4:45 a.m. EDT)
- Monday, June 29: Strawberry Moon (23:56 UTC/7:56 p.m. EDT) — also, a micromoon
- Wednesday, July 29: Buck Moon (14:35 UTC/10:35 a.m. EDT)
- Friday, Aug. 28: Sturgeon Moon (04:18 UTC/12:18 a.m. EDT) — additionally, a partial lunar eclipse
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Harvest Moon (16:49 UTC/12:49 p.m. EDT)
- Monday, Oct. 26: Hunter’s Moon (04:11 UTC/12:11 a.m. EDT)
- Tuesday, Nov. 24: Beaver Moon (14:53 UTC/9:53 a.m. EST) — moreover, a supermoon
- Wednesday, Dec. 23: Cold Moon (01:28 UTC on Dec. 24/8:28 p.m. EST on Dec. 23) — also, a supermoon
Witness a complete lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026. Lunar eclipses 2026
During 2026, two lunar eclipses will manifest; however, merely one will attain totality. The initial occurrence, transpiring on March 2-3, will present as a total lunar eclipse, wherein the full Worm Moon will traverse Earth’s inner umbral shadow, adopting a reddish-orange semblance for a duration of 58 minutes, spanning from 6:04 to 7:02 a.m. EDT on March 3, as per timeanddate.com. Optimal vantage points for observing this phenomenon, dubbed a “blood moon,” will encompass western North America alongside the Asia Pacific region.
The subsequent lunar eclipse, slated for Aug. 27-28, will emerge as a partial lunar eclipse, witnessing 96% of the Sturgeon Moon infiltrating Earth’s inner umbral shadow, potentially acquiring a reddish-orange tinge approaching the apex of the eclipse at 12:12 a.m. EDT on Aug. 28, as indicated by timeanddate.com. Peak viewing locations will be across North and South America, Europe, in addition to Africa.
What constitutes the lunar phases?
This illustration from NASA delineates the eight distinct phases of the moon.
Typically, scientists segment the moon’s 29.5-day periodicity into eight phases, determined by the respective placements of the moon, Earth, and solar body.
The genesis of the cycle initiates with the new moon, occurring when the moon is precisely positioned between Earth and the sun. Visibility of the moon is precluded during the new phase, attributed to the absence of sunlight reflecting from its Earth-oriented facade. The new moon signifies the solitary interval wherein a solar eclipse remains conceivable. Two central solar eclipses will take place in 2026: an annular solar eclipse on Feb. 17 and a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12.
With amplified sunlight illuminating the moon’s Earth-directed surface, the moon undergoes waxing. The ensuing lunar phase carries the designation of a waxing crescent, succeeded by the first-quarter phase. Throughout the initial quarter, half of the moon’s observable surface becomes illuminated.
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Subsequently arises the waxing gibbous moon, positioned midway between a first-quarter moon alongside a full moon. At the midpoint of the lunar cycle, the full moon ascends, appearing brilliantly and prominently within the night sky. During this juncture, the moon and the sun occupy diametrically opposed positions relative to Earth, resulting in comprehensive illumination of the moon’s Earth-facing aspect.
Following the full moon, the waning cycle commences — initially with the waning gibbous phase, then advancing to a last-quarter moon, and concluding with a waning crescent. Approaching the culmination of roughly 30 days, the moon transitions back into a “new” state, triggering a repetition of the cycle.
Jamie CarterSocial Links NavigationLive Science contributor
Jamie Carter functions as a freelance reporter and recurring Live Science contributor, residing in Cardiff, U.K. He has authored A Stargazing Program For Beginners and delivers discourses pertaining to astronomy and the natural realm. Jamie routinely contributes content to Space.com, TechRadar.com, Forbes Science, BBC Wildlife magazine coupled with Scientific American, amongst others. He oversees WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com.
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