October’s Full Moon is coming up, but when can you see it? Often called the Hunter’s Moon, October’s Full Moon has a name linked to the time of year when people would hunt to prepare for the colder months ahead.
Wondering when to see October’s Full Moon? Here’s when it’ll reach its peak and what to know about its name
When is the October Full Moon?
The Full Moon will peak at 12:11 a.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 26, according to Time and Date. This means that for some timezones in the US and around the world, it will fall late on Sunday, Oct. 25.
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What is the October Full Moon called?
October’s Full Moon is known as the Hunter’s Moon. The name comes from traditional hunting practices, when people would hunt animals to prepare for the colder winter months. According to Royal Museums Greenwich, this moon is also brighter and longer in the sky, which would give hunters the opportunity to be out late at night.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on Nov. 24.
What are the lunar phases?
The Moon’s appearance changes throughout its orbit around Earth as different amounts of its sunlit side become visible to us. This repeating cycle takes about 29.5 days and is divided into eight distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, its illuminated portion appears to grow and shrink as the Moon moves around our planet. The eight phases are:
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New Moon — The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (so, we don’t see anything).
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Waxing Crescent — A small sliver of light appears on the right side
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First Quarter — Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.
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Waxing Gibbous — More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
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Full Moon — The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
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Waning Gibbous — The moon starts losing light on the right side
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Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) — Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.
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Waning Crescent — A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
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