Hunter's Moon shines bright tonight: When, how to watch
What's the story
The October full Moon, popularly known as the Hunter's Moon, will illuminate the night sky this weekend. It will be visible at sunset and finally reach peak illumination at 12:12am ET (9:42am IST) on Monday. The name Hunter's Moon comes from Native American traditions of hunting active wildlife and preparing food for winter during this time.
Lunar significance
Significance of the Moon
Noah Petro, chief of NASA's Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Lab at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, encourages people to reflect on the meaning of this time of year while observing the Moon.
He said these names were given to the Moon because it holds significance.
Other names for the Hunter's Moon include the drying rice Moon, falling leaves Moon, and migrating Moon, reflecting seasonal traditions across cultures.
Lunar rotation
Changes in appearance
Petro, who is also a project scientist for the Artemis III mission, explained that while the full Moon will maintain its usual silvery color over the next several months, viewers can expect to see changes on its face due to rotation.
These changes are caused by variations in surface composition and age.
Petro's team plans to investigate this phenomenon during their Artemis mission scheduled for June 2027.
Observation advice
Tips for optimal viewing
For optimal viewing of the Hunter's Moon, Petro recommends finding an unobstructed location such as a large field.
He also notes that cold winter nights can provide better visibility because heat generates turbulence in the atmosphere and makes the sky hazy.
"You need two things: clear eyes and clear skies. And with that, you can fall in love with the moon," he said.
Celestial alignment
Celestial events and supermoons
The Hunter's Moon will also eclipse and pass by the Pleiades star cluster, or the Seven Sisters, from Monday to Wednesday.
The ringed planet Saturn will be visible tonight but may be hard to spot due to the Moon's brightness.
This celestial event marks 11 of 13 full Moons in 2026, with two more supermoons, brighter and larger due to their proximity to Earth, coming up later this year.