Hunter's Moon 2026: The Full Moon of Autumn Rises This Weekend

The October Hunter's Moon peaks on Oct 26, 2026. Here is when to see it, why it has that name, and how to enjoy it with no equipment.
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This weekend, the sky puts on one of autumn's best free shows. The Hunter's Moon, October's full moon, reaches its peak on Monday, October 26, 2026.
When is it?
The moon is exactly full at 04:11 UTC on October 26. That is 12:11 a.m. in New York and 11:11 a.m. across Southeast Asia, which means the exact moment happens in daylight for us. No problem: the moon looks almost perfectly round the evening before and the evening after. The best nights to look are Sunday, October 25 and Monday, October 26, right after moonrise.
Why is it called the Hunter's Moon?
It is the full moon that follows the Harvest Moon, which this year fell on September 26. Traditionally it marked the time when farmers had finished the harvest and hunters took to the fields. With the crops cleared, game animals were easier to spot under the bright moonlight. It also goes by other names, including the Drying Rice Moon, and sometimes the Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon.
How to watch
No telescope is needed. Your eyes are enough.
Look east just after sunset. The moon rises about when the sun goes down.
Near the horizon the moon looks huge and golden. That is an optical illusion, because it is the same size all night.
For photos, use a tripod or lean your phone on something steady, and tap the moon on screen to lower the brightness.
Good to know
There is no lunar eclipse this time, so expect a bright, normal full moon. Halloween falls on October 31, five days after the peak, so there will not be a full moon on Halloween night. If you miss this one, the next Hunter's Moon is on October 15, 2027.
Will you be watching? Tell me in the comments what the sky looks like where you are, and share your moon photos!
Sources: Farmer's Almanac, Space.com, Star Walk, Time and Date.