Moon Phases Calendar
The next full moon is the Beaver Moon on Tuesday, November 24, 2026 at 9:53 AM EST (in 19 days). The next new moon is on Monday, November 9, 2026 at 2:02 AM EST. Times are US Eastern Time.
Updated · By the YearlyCalendar.org team
Upcoming moon phases
The next eight principal phases. Subtract 1 hour for Central, 2 for Mountain and 3 for Pacific Time.
| Phase | Date | Time (ET) | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Moon | 2:02 AM EST | in 4 days | |
| First Quarter | 6:48 AM EST | in 12 days | |
| Full Moon (Beaver Moon) | 9:53 AM EST | in 19 days | |
| Last Quarter | 1:09 AM EST | in 26 days | |
| New Moon | 7:52 PM EST | in 33 days | |
| First Quarter | 12:43 AM EST | in 42 days | |
| Full Moon (Cold Moon) | 8:28 PM EST | in 48 days | |
| Last Quarter | 1:59 PM EST | in 55 days |
Next eclipse: annular solar eclipse on Saturday, February 6, 2027 at 11:00 AM EST (in 93 days), visible from South America, Antarctica, western and southern Africa; annular in Chile, Argentina and the Atlantic. All eclipses of 2027
Moon phase calendars by year
Each year page lists every full moon, new moon and quarter with times, and a printable calendar with the phases marked.
| Year | Full moons | First full moon | Blue moon | Seasonal blue moon | Harvest Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 moon phases | 12 | Jan 25 | None | Aug 19 | Sep 17 |
| 2025 moon phases | 12 | Jan 13 | None | None | Oct 6 |
| 2026 moon phases | 13 | Jan 3 | May 31 | None | Sep 26 |
| 2027 moon phases | 12 | Jan 22 | None | May 20 | Sep 15 |
| 2028 moon phases | 13 | Jan 11 | Dec 31 | None | Oct 3 |
| 2029 moon phases | 12 | Jan 30 | None | Aug 23 | Sep 22 |
| 2030 moon phases | 12 | Jan 19 | None | None | Sep 11 |
| 2031 moon phases | 13 | Jan 8 | Sep 30 | None | Sep 30 |
| 2032 moon phases | 12 | Jan 27 | None | Aug 20 | Sep 19 |
| 2033 moon phases | 12 | Jan 15 | None | None | Sep 8 |
| 2034 moon phases | 13 | Jan 4 | Jul 31 | None | Sep 27 |
| 2035 moon phases | 12 | Jan 23 | None | May 22 | Sep 17 |
The lunar cycle explained
The Moon goes through its phases in a synodic month — the time from one new moon to the next — which averages 29.53 days (29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes). The phase depends only on the angle between the Sun, Earth and Moon: we always see the same face of the Moon, but a changing share of it is lit by the Sun.
Waxing means the lit part is growing (new moon to full moon); waning means it is shrinking (full moon back to new moon). The four principal phases — new moon, first quarter, full moon and last quarter — are exact instants; the crescent and gibbous phases are the stretches in between.
The synodic month is not constant because the Moon's orbit is elliptical. Between 2024 and 2035, the shortest interval between two new moons is 29 days 7 hours and the longest is 29 days 20 hours (average 29.53 days). The Moon orbits Earth in 27.32 days relative to the stars (the sidereal month); the synodic month is about two days longer because Earth moves along its orbit around the Sun in the meantime.
| Phase | Days after new moon | What you see | Rises (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| New moon | 0 | The Moon is between Earth and the Sun; its lit side faces away from us and it is not visible. | Around sunrise |
| Waxing crescent | 1–7 | A thin sliver, lit on the right as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, grows each evening. | Morning |
| First quarter | 7.4 | Half of the disk is lit (the right half in the Northern Hemisphere). The Moon has completed a quarter of its orbit. | Around noon |
| Waxing gibbous | 8–14 | More than half lit and growing. | Afternoon |
| Full moon | 14.8 | The Moon is opposite the Sun and the whole disk facing Earth is lit. | Around sunset |
| Waning gibbous | 15–22 | More than half lit and shrinking. | Evening |
| Last quarter | 22.1 | Half lit again, now the left half in the Northern Hemisphere. | Around midnight |
| Waning crescent | 22–29 | A shrinking sliver seen before dawn. | After midnight |
Full moon names by month
These traditional names were popularized by the Old Farmer's Almanac, which traces them to Native American (largely Algonquian), colonial American and European traditions. Different Native American nations used different names. The full moon after the Harvest Moon is called the Hunter's Moon.
| Month | Full moon name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| January | Wolf Moon | Wolves were heard howling more often in midwinter. |
| February | Snow Moon | February is often the snowiest month in North America. |
| March | Worm Moon | Earthworms reappear as the soil thaws and warms. |
| April | Pink Moon | Moss pink (creeping phlox), an early spring wildflower, comes into bloom. |
| May | Flower Moon | Flowers bloom in abundance. |
| June | Strawberry Moon | Wild strawberries ripen and are ready to gather. |
| July | Buck Moon | The antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full growth. |
| August | Sturgeon Moon | Lake sturgeon were most easily caught in late summer. |
| September | Corn Moon | Corn is ready to harvest. |
| October | Hunter's Moon | Game animals have fattened for winter, the season for hunting and storing food. |
| November | Beaver Moon | Beavers finish their winter preparations and retreat into their lodges. |
| December | Cold Moon | Winter cold sets in and nights are at their longest. |
| September or October | Harvest Moon | The full moon closest to the September equinox; around it the Moon rises soon after sunset for several evenings in a row, extending light for harvest work. |
Frequently asked questions
Is the full moon at the same time everywhere?
Yes. A full moon is the instant the Moon is opposite the Sun, the same moment worldwide. Local clock times differ, so the date can change: a full moon at 9 PM Eastern Time is already the next day in UTC.
Why does the Moon look different in the Southern Hemisphere?
Observers south of the equator see the Moon upside down compared with northern observers, so a waxing moon is lit on the left and a waning moon on the right. The phases happen at the same moments.
What is a blue moon?
Today a blue moon usually means the second full moon in one calendar month, possible because a lunar cycle is shorter than every month except February. An older rule from the Maine Farmers' Almanac calls the third full moon of an astronomical season with four full moons a blue moon (a seasonal blue moon); the calendar-month meaning spread after a 1946 Sky & Telescope article.
Why do some years have 13 full moons?
Twelve lunar cycles last about 354 days, 11 days less than a calendar year. When the first full moon of a year falls within about the first 11 days of January, a 13th full moon fits in before December 31. The table of years above shows which years have 13.
Why isn't there an eclipse at every full moon?
The Moon's orbit is tilted about 5° to Earth's orbit, so at most full and new moons the Moon passes above or below the line between Earth and the Sun. Eclipses happen only when a full or new moon falls near the points where the two orbits cross, during two eclipse seasons about six months apart. Between 2024 and 2035 there are 26 solar and 27 lunar eclipses.