Hunter's Moon 2026: When to See October's Full Moon
October's full moon, the Hunter's Moon, is full at 04:12 UTC on Monday, October 26, 2026. That's Sunday evening on the US West Coast and in Mexico, just after midnight on Monday in New York, and Monday morning or afternoon in Europe, Asia and Australia. The best time to look is when it rises at dusk on Sunday, October 25, and again on Monday evening.
When the Moon is exactly full, in your time zone
| City | Full moon |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Sunday, October 25, 9:12 p.m. |
| Mexico City | Sunday, October 25, 10:12 p.m. |
| New York | Monday, October 26, 12:12 a.m. |
| London | Monday, October 26, 4:12 a.m. |
| Paris, Berlin | Monday, October 26, 5:12 a.m. |
| Dubai | Monday, October 26, 8:12 a.m. |
| New Delhi | Monday, October 26, 9:42 a.m. |
| Manila | Monday, October 26, 12:12 p.m. |
| Sydney | Monday, October 26, 3:12 p.m. |
The UK time matches the Royal Observatory Greenwich's 2026 full moon calendar. The UK and Europe will already be back on winter time that weekend, after the clocks go back on October 25.
The best time to look
The exact moment of full moon doesn't matter much to the eye. The Moon looks full the evening before and the evening after, and it's most striking when it rises, low and orange, near sunset.
On Sunday, October 25, the Moon rises at about 4 p.m. in London, shortly before the 4:47 p.m. sunset, and at about 5:25 p.m. in New York, before sunset at 6:01 p.m., by our calculation. Find a spot with a clear view to the east and go out a little before sunset.
Why it's called the Hunter's Moon
The Hunter's Moon is the first full moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon closest to the September equinox. In 2026 the Harvest Moon was on September 26, so the Hunter's Moon falls on October 26. The name comes from Northern Hemisphere traditions: the Harvest Moon and the Hunter's Moon gave farmers and hunters extra light in the evening to finish their work, as EarthSky explains.
Around this full moon, the Moon also rises only a little later each evening. In London it rises only about 15 to 27 minutes later each day from October 24 to 27, by our calculation, so there are several bright, moonlit evenings close together.
Is it a supermoon?
No. It isn't on the standard supermoon lists. EarthSky, using astronomer Fred Espenak's tables, lists 2026's full supermoons as January 3, November 24 and December 24. At the moment of full moon on October 26, the Moon is about 368,900 km from Earth by our calculation, a little closer than its average distance of about 384,400 km, but not close enough to count. The next full moon, on November 24, is a supermoon.
A bonus that night
The Orionid meteor shower is still active until November 7. The bright moonlight will hide most of its fainter meteors, but you may catch a bright one while you're out.
Quick answers
What date is the full moon in October 2026?
Monday, October 26, 2026, at 04:12 UTC. In Los Angeles and Mexico City, that's the evening of Sunday, October 25. In New York, it's just after midnight on Monday.
When is the next full moon after the Hunter's Moon?
On November 24, 2026, the Beaver Moon.
Can I see it from the Southern Hemisphere?
Yes. The full moon is visible everywhere the sky is clear. The name "Hunter's Moon" comes from Northern Hemisphere traditions, where it's autumn.
