2024 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases (2024)

2024 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases (1)

A composite image showing the Full Moons in 2020 and 2021 by month. Credit: Soumyadeep Mukherjee.

The phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment ensures the entire side of the Moon that faces us gleams under sunlight. Thanks to the Moon’s orbit around Earth, the angle of sunlight hitting the lunar surface and being reflected back to our planet changes. That creates different lunar phases.

The next Full Moon in 2024 is at 9:08 pm. ET on Friday, June 21, and is called the Strawberry Moon.

We’ll update this article multiple times each week with the latest moonrise, moonset, Full Moon schedule, and some of what you can see in the sky each week.

Here’s the complete list of Full Moons this year and their traditional names.

2024 Full Moon schedule and names of each

(all times Eastern)

  • Jan. 25 — 12:54 p.m. — Wolf Moon
  • Feb. 24 —7:30 a.m. — Snow Moon
  • March 25 — 3 a.m. — Worm Moon
  • April 23 — 7:49 p.m. — Pink Moon
  • May 23 — 9:53 a.m. — Flower Moon
  • Friday, June 21 — 9:08 p.m. — Strawberry Moon
  • Sunday, July 21 — 6:17 a.m. — Buck Moon
  • Monday, Aug. 19 — 2:26 p.m. — Sturgeon Moon
  • Tuesday, Sept. 17 — 10:34 p.m. — Corn Moon
  • Thursday, Oct. 17 — 7:26 a.m. — Hunter’s Moon
  • Friday, Nov. 15 — 4:28 p.m. — Beaver Moon
  • Sunday, Dec. 15 — 4:02 a.m. —Cold Moon

The phases of the Moon in June 2024

The images below show the day-by-day phases of the Moon In June. The Full Moon in June is at 6:17 a.m. on Friday, June 21, and is colloquially called the Strawberry Moon.

2024 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases (2)

The moonrise and moonset schedule this week

The following is adapted from Alison Klesman’s The Sky This Week article, which you can find here.

*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.

Thursday, June 6
New Moon occurs at 8:38 A.M. EDT this morning, leaving our sky dark, moonless, and perfect for deep-sky observers.

Longtime observers know that although the images of galaxies and nebulae we see are often stunningly multicolored, most objects don’t show off vivid hues through the eyepiece when visually observing. But some do, and one of these is NGC 7662, also called the Blue Snowball and the brightest planetary nebula in the constellation Andromeda.

Sunrise: 5:32 A.M.
Sunset: 8:26 P.M.
Moonrise: 5:11 A.M.
Moonset: 9:15 P.M.
Moon Phase: New

Friday, June 7

Sunrise: 5:31 A.M.
Sunset: 827 P.M.
Moonrise: 6:04 A.M.
Moonset: 10:15 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (2%)

The phases of the Moon

The phases of the Moon are: New Moon, waxing crescent, First Quarter, waxing gibbous, Full Moon, waning gibbous, Last Quarter, and waning crescent. A cycle starting from one Full Moon to its next counterpart, termed the synodic month or lunar month, lasts about 29.5 days.

Though a Full Moon only occurs during the exact moment when Earth, Moon, and Sun form a perfect alignment, to our eyes, the Moon seems Full for around three days.

Different names for different types of Full Moon

There are a wide variety of specialized names used to identify distinct types or timings of Full Moons. These names primarily trace back to a blend of cultural, agricultural, and natural observations about the Moon, aimed at allowing humans to not only predict seasonal changes, but also track the passage of time.

For instance, almost every month’s Full Moon boasts a name sourced from Native American, Colonial American, or other North American traditions, with their titles mirroring seasonal shifts and nature’s events.

2024 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases (3)

Wolf Moon (January): Inspired by the cries of hungry wolves.

Snow Moon (February): A nod to the month’s often heavy snowfall.

Worm Moon (March): Named after the earthworms that signal thawing grounds.

Pink Moon (April): In honor of the blossoming pink wildflowers.

Flower Moon (May): Celebrating the bloom of flowers.

Strawberry Moon (June): Marks the prime strawberry harvest season.

Buck Moon (July): Recognizing the new antlers on bucks.

Sturgeon Moon (August): Named after the abundant sturgeon fish.

Corn Moon (September): Signifying the corn harvesting period.

Hunter’s Moon (October): Commemorating the hunting season preceding winter.

Beaver Moon (November): Reflects the time when beavers are busy building their winter dams.

Cold Moon (December): Evocative of winter’s chill.

In addition, there are a few additional names for Full Moons that commonly make their way into public conversations and news.

Super Moon: This term is reserved for a Full Moon that aligns with the lunar perigee, which is the Moon’s nearest point to Earth in its orbit. This proximity renders the Full Moon unusually large and luminous. For a Full Moon to earn the Super Moon tag, it should be within approximately 90 percent of its closest distance to Earth.

Blue Moon: A Blue Moon is the second Full Moon in a month that experiences two Full Moons. This phenomenon graces our skies roughly every 2.7 years. Though the term suggests a color, Blue Moons aren’t truly blue. Very occasionally, atmospheric conditions such as recent volcanic eruptions might lend the Moon a slightly blueish tint, but this hue isn’t tied to the term.

Harvest Moon: Occurring closest to the autumnal equinox, typically in September, the Harvest Moon is often renowned for a distinct orange tint it might display. This Full Moon rises close to sunset and sets near sunrise, providing extended hours of bright moonlight. Historically, this was invaluable to farmers gathering their produce.

Common questions about Full Moons

What is the difference between a Full Moon and a New Moon? A Full Moon is witnessed when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, making the entire Moon’s face visible. Conversely, during a New Moon, the Moon lies between Earth and the Sun, shrouding its Earth-facing side in darkness.

How does the Full Moon influence tides? The Moon’s gravitational tug causes Earth’s waters to bulge, birthing tides. During both Full and New Moons, the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in alignment, generating “spring tides.” These tides can swing exceptionally high or low due to the combined gravitational influences of the Sun and Moon.

Here are the dates for all the lunar phases in 2024:

New First Quarter Full Last Quarter
Jan. 3
Jan. 11 Jan. 17 Jan. 25 Feb. 2
Feb. 9 Feb. 16 Feb. 24 March 3
March 10 March 17 March 25 April 1
April 8 April 15 April 23 May 1
May 7 May 15 May 23 May 30
June 6 June 14 June 21 June 28
July 5 July 13 July 21 July 27
Aug. 4 Aug. 12 Aug. 19 Aug 26
Sept. 2 Sept. 11 Sept. 17 Sept. 24
Oct. 2 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 24
Nov. 1 Nov. 9 Nov. 15 Nov. 22
Dec. 1 Dec. 8 Dec. 15 Dec. 22
Dec. 30
2024 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases (2024)

FAQs

2024 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases? ›

The next full Moon will occur on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 7:26 p.m. Eastern time (4:26 a.m. Pacific). October's full Moon, the Full Hunter's Moon, will be the third supermoon

supermoon
A supermoon is a full moon or a new moon that nearly coincides with perigee—the closest that the Moon comes to the Earth in its elliptic orbit—resulting in a slightly larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as viewed from Earth.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Supermoon
of four in a row and come the closest to Earth.

What is the full moon schedule for 2024? ›

2024 full moon dates
DateNameGMT
August 19Sturgeon Moon18:26
September 17Harvest Moon02:34 on Sept. 18
October 17Hunter's Moon11:26
November 15Beaver Moon21:29
8 more rows
4 days ago

How long does it take to see the full pattern of moon phases? ›

However, it takes our Moon about 29.5 days to complete one cycle of phases (from new Moon to new Moon). This is called the synodic month.

What is the time between a full moon and the next full moon? ›

The time interval between a full moon and the next repetition of the same phase, a synodic month, averages about 29.53 days. Because of irregularities in the moon's orbit, the new and full moons may fall up to thirteen hours either side of their mean.

When to see the moon? ›

The best Moon phases for seeing the Moon during daylight are the First and Last Quarters, when the Moon is 90 degrees away from the Sun in the sky. Near the New Moon, it's too close to the Sun to be visible, and when it is near the full Moon, it is only visible at night after the Sun sets. See your Moon Phase Calendar.

What is the Buck moon 2024? ›

When is the full moon in July 2024? The Buck Moon arrives at 6:19 a.m. on July 21, 2024, according to the Farmer's Almanac. The name for this month's full moon refers to the time of year when male deer antlers grow.

What are we going to do at moon in 2024? ›

NASA's Artemis 2 lunar mission in 2024 will send the first astronauts around the moon in nearly 50 years. The mission will launch four astronauts around the moon on a lunar flyby aboard an Orion spacecraft using a Space Launch System rocket.

How long does it take to see a full cycle of moon phases? ›

Moon fact: The Moon's phases repeat every 29.5 days, but it's orbit around the Earth only takes 27. Why? In that time, as our Moon moves around Earth, the Earth also moves around the Sun.

How long do you have to wait to see a full moon? ›

Other names for the January full Moon include Moon After Yule, Ice Moon and Old Moon. A full Moon is one part of the lunar cycle, which takes 29.53 days (29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3 seconds) to complete. In other words, we get a full Moon every 29.53 days.

How many days is full moon visible? ›

A cycle starting from one Full Moon to its next counterpart, termed the synodic month or lunar month, lasts about 29.5 days. Though a Full Moon only occurs during the exact moment when Earth, Moon, and Sun form a perfect alignment, to our eyes, the Moon seems Full for around three days.

What is the time period in which we see the full moon? ›

Due to its position opposite the Sun, the full moon rises at sunset and sets at sunrise. The cycle of lunar phases lasts close to a month, at 29.5 days, a period known as the synodic month.

How many days from one full moon to another full moon? ›

The time interval between one full moon to next full moon or one new moon to next new moon is called a lunar month. It is equal to 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds.

What does "full moon" mean spiritually? ›

Full Moon Spiritual Meaning

The full Moon is a time to be receptive, to take the light and awareness of spirit into your emotional and physical body. On an energetic level, during the new Moon, what is going on is often taking place unconsciously, in the dark of shadow, and is not yet ready to be illuminated.

What is the best time to sight the Moon? ›

The best times to see a daytime Moon are perhaps during the first and last quarter phases, when the Moon is high enough above the horizon and at about 90 degrees from the Sun in the sky. This helps make the Sun's reflected light bright enough to see as it reflects off of the Moon.

What time of day is each moon phase visible? ›

Time
Lunar phase (illustration as seen from northern hemisphere)MoonriseBest seen
First quarter12PMEarly evening to late night
Waxing gibbous3PMEarly evening and most of night
Full moon6PMSunset to sunrise (all night), a lunar eclipse is then possible
Waning gibbous9PMMost of night and early morning
4 more rows

What does a full sturgeon moon mean? ›

According to this almanac, as the full Moon in August the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern USA called this the Sturgeon Moon after the large fish that were more easily caught this time of year in the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water.

What day is the full moon in february 2025? ›

12 Feb 2025

Is there a full moon in May 23 2024? ›

The May Full Moon will take place on May 23, 2024, at 13:53 GMT (9:53 a.m. EDT). It is named the Flower Moon — after the flowers that bloom during this month. Use the Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2 app to learn the Moon's current phase and position in the sky.

What does the full moon in May 2024 mean? ›

This year's flower moon is scheduled to reach its fullest state on May 23, 2024 in Sagittarius, the ninth astrological sign. Because of Sagittarius's philosophical and adventurous nature, this year's flower moon is an excellent period to reassess and recommit to your long-term goals, travel plans, and personal beliefs.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Kerri Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 6050

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kerri Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1992-10-31

Address: Suite 878 3699 Chantelle Roads, Colebury, NC 68599

Phone: +6111989609516

Job: Chief Farming Manager

Hobby: Mycology, Stone skipping, Dowsing, Whittling, Taxidermy, Sand art, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.