Full moon 2026 calendar: dates, times and when the next full moon is

The short answer: The next full moon is the Beaver Moon on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 9:53 a.m. Eastern time, and the last full moon of the year, the Cold Moon, rises on the evening of December 23, just before Christmas Eve.

Below is every full moon in 2026 with dates and times from the U.S. Naval Observatory, the traditional full moon names, a quick guide to moon phases and easy ways to turn a full moon night into a family tradition.

Add moon-watching nights to the family schedule with the Family Life Admin Bundle, or let kids earn a late-night moon walk on the Kids Chore Chart.

Full moon 2026 calendar

Times below are the exact moment of full moon from the U.S. Naval Observatory, converted to Eastern time. For Central time subtract one hour, for Mountain time subtract two and for Pacific time subtract three. The moon looks full to the eye for about a day before and after, so the night before or after works fine for viewing.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon is on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 9:53 a.m. EST (7:53 a.m. MST, 14:53 UT). Because the exact full moment is in the morning in the U.S., the best viewing is the evenings of November 23 and November 24, when the nearly full moon rises in the east around sunset. That makes it a nice extra for Thanksgiving week, and our Thanksgiving activities list pairs well with an after-dinner moon walk.

After that, December's Cold Moon is full on Wednesday, December 23, at 8:28 p.m. EST, so the moon will be bright on Christmas Eve, perfect for Christmas lights drives and Christmas Eve traditions. Note that full moon times after November 1 are standard time, since daylight saving time ends that morning.

Moon phases explained

NASA explains that the Moon does not make its own light; we see the half lit by the Sun, and as the Moon orbits Earth we see more or less of that sunlit half. The full cycle takes about 29.5 days and moves through eight moon phases:

1. New moon: the Moon is between Earth and the Sun, and the side facing us is dark.
2. Waxing crescent: a thin sliver grows on the right side, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere.
3. First quarter: half of the Moon's face is lit.
4. Waxing gibbous: more than half is lit and growing.
5. Full moon: the whole face is lit; the Moon rises around sunset.
6. Waning gibbous: the light starts to shrink.
7. Third quarter: the other half is lit.
8. Waning crescent: a thin sliver before the next new moon.

Full moon names and what they mean

Full moon names come from a blend of Native American, Colonial American and European traditions that tied each moon to the season: the Wolf Moon in January, Snow Moon in February, Worm Moon in March, Pink Moon in April, Flower Moon in May, Strawberry Moon in June, Buck Moon in July, Sturgeon Moon in August, Harvest Moon near the fall equinox, Hunter's Moon in October, Beaver Moon in November and Cold Moon in December. These are nicknames, not official astronomy terms. In 2026, the second full moon in May on May 31 is a blue moon, which is why the year has 13 full moons.

Full moon ideas for families

• Take a full moon walk after dinner and look for the "man in the moon" or the "rabbit."
• Use binoculars to spot craters along the edge of the bright face.
• Keep a moon journal for one cycle and draw the phase every clear night. Our moon phase calendar lists every phase date to check against.
• Make a moon phase snack with sandwich cookies, scraping off filling to match each phase.
• Tell dad jokes about space, such as how the moon cuts his hair: eclipse it.
• Mark the next full moon on the family calendar and make it a monthly tradition.

The bottom line

There are 13 full moons in 2026. The next full moon is the Beaver Moon on November 24 at 9:53 a.m. Eastern time, followed by the Cold Moon on December 23. Check the table above, pick a clear evening and step outside with the family. For other dates to add alongside moon phases, browse our calendar planning guides.