October’s Hunter’s Moon Lights up the Night Sky Tonight
WHO:
CNN - Noah Petro is chief of NASA’s Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and a project scientist for the Artemis III mission.
Fast Company - The Hunter’s Moon is described as the October full moon; full-moon names draw on Native American and historical traditions.
Fast Company - The Old Farmer’s Almanac recorded many traditional full-moon names.
Fast Company - NASA is cited for information about Halloween full moons and the Geminids meteor shower.
Space.com - The article identifies the October full moon as the “Hunter’s Moon.”
WHAT:
CNN - Saturn may appear gold a few degrees south of the Moon; the Moon may look orange near the horizon because its light passes through denser air, which filters out shorter blue and violet wavelengths.
CNN - Other traditional names for the Hunter’s Moon include the drying rice moon, falling leaves moon, migrating moon, and blood moon.
CNN - The Moon’s surface color variations reflect differences in composition, age, and geological history.
CNN - The Moon will approach, eclipse, and pass the Pleiades star cluster, also called the Seven Sisters; the cluster appears to the unaided eye as six to seven stars.
CNN - The 2026 full-moon calendar has 13 full moons, with the final two described as supermoons.
Fast Company - The Moon’s phases result from changes in how it appears from Earth as it orbits; moonlight is sunlight reflected by the Moon.
Fast Company - A full moon occurs when Earth is between the Sun and Moon, with the Moon’s Earth-facing half illuminated by the Sun. A lunar eclipse occurs when all three bodies line up perfectly.
Fast Company - The Hunter’s Moon name refers to the period after harvest when people hunted game to prepare for winter.
Fast Company - The October 2026 full moon is not called the Harvest Moon because September’s full moon was closest to the fall equinox.
Fast Company - A full moon on Halloween occurs about every 19 years; the article says Halloween full moons are also blue moons, meaning two full moons occur in one month.
Fast Company - December’s full moon will be a “supermoon” and illuminate the Christmas holiday.
Space.com - The article says it explains how to see the October full moon and why it is called the Hunter’s Moon.
WHERE:
CNN - Petro recommended viewing from an unobstructed location, such as a large field.
Fast Company - The Hunter’s Moon can be viewed at moonrise; the Old Farmer’s Almanac recommends viewing it on Sunday evening.
WHEN:
CNN - The Artemis III mission is slated for June 2027.
CNN - The beaver moon is listed for November 24; the cold moon for December 23.
Fast Company - Peak illumination is stated as 12:12 a.m. ET on Monday, October 26.
Fast Company - The article says the last Halloween full moon was in 2020 and the next will be in 2039.
Fast Company - NASA’s Geminids meteor shower is expected December 13 through December 14.
Space.com - The article says the October full moon rises on Oct. 25.
WHY:
Fast Company - The Harvest Moon is defined as the full moon closest to the fall equinox; September’s full moon met that definition for 2026.
HOW:
CNN - Petro said clear eyes and clear skies are enough to enjoy the Moon; heat-induced atmospheric turbulence can make the sky hazier.
Fast Company - The article recommends checking a time-and-date calculator to find the local moonrise time.
Fast Company - The Geminids meteor shower is attributed to asteroid 3200 Phaethon.
(UPDATED October 25, 2026 14:58 UTC)
The Hunter’s Moon, October’s full moon, reaches peak illumination at 12:12 a.m. ET on Monday, October 26. It can be viewed at moonrise, with an unobstructed spot offering a clear view. The name refers to the time after harvest when people hunted game to prepare for winter. September’s full moon was closest to the fall equinox, making it the 2026 Harvest Moon instead. Near the horizon, the Moon may look orange because the atmosphere filters out blue and violet light, while Saturn may appear a few degrees south. The Moon will also approach and pass the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, a star cluster visible as six or seven stars. Other traditional names include the falling leaves moon and migrating moon. December’s full moon will be a supermoon, and the Geminids meteor shower is expected December 13 through December 14.
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(UPDATED October 25, 2026 14:01 UTC)
The October full moon, known as the Hunter’s Moon, reaches peak illumination at 12:12 a.m. ET on Monday, October 26. It can also be viewed at moonrise, and a local time-and-date calculator can help you find when it appears in your area. The name reflects the period after harvest when people hunted game to prepare for winter. This is not the Harvest Moon: that title goes to the full moon closest to the fall equinox, which was September’s moon this year. Moonlight is sunlight reflected by the Moon, and its phases change as it orbits Earth. A lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up perfectly. Halloween full moons occur about every 19 years; the next is in 2039, and such moons are blue moons. December brings a supermoon, while the Geminids meteor shower is expected December 13 through December 14.