When Is the Next Full Moon? See Our Handy 2024 Full Moon Calendar
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Whether you're planning a night hike under its gentle glow, or an evening cookout as it slowly rises, there is something magical about a full moon. The nearest celestial body to Earth and the only one humans have literally set foot on, the moon has a tremendous influence on our world. But its impact seems even more profound when the moon appears fully lit, which happens when the moon is opposite the sun in its rotation around Earth, with the entire sunlit side visible.
For example, full moon tides are more intense than tides occurring during some other moon phases. The alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth creates extremely low, low tides and super-high high tides, both commonly known as spring tides. There also have been studies that have shown full moons can affect everything from sleep to cardiovascular conditions and even bipolar disorder symptoms.
And then there are all the full moon appearances central to folklore (werewolves, anyone?), popular movies (how much do you love the classic Moonstruck?), and even songs (Neil Young's gorgeous "Harvest Moon"). There's no doubt la bella luna is a serious source of inspiration, as Serafice, a Philadelphia-based astrologist and psychic, notes. "The moon has been with us during our whole journey from painting on cave walls through the development of cultures all the way to actually traveling into space," Serafice says. "She is our constant companion, the moon, and she has a tremendous effect on our psyche as well."
If you're wondering when the next full moon is, we've got everything you need to know below. Find a full moon calendar for 2024 including each event's unique seasonal name, learn about the moon phases and how the lunation affects us, and more.
When is the next full moon?
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, the next full moon occurs on Thursday, January 25, 2024, and peaks at 12:54 p.m. EST. It's dubbed the Wolf Moon because we hear wolves howl this time of year as they reconvene in packs and enter mating season.
The moon is technically full only for a moment (it is in constant orbit around the Earth after all), but it appears completely illuminated for as many as three days, including the day before and the day after. That's because is difficult to spot the difference between a true full moon, the final stage of a waxing gibbous moon, or the start of a waning gibbous moon.
When is the next supermoon?
The next super full moon will happen on September 17, 2024, at 10:34 PM ET. Earlier in the year, we'll also have three consecutive super new moons on February 9, March 10, and April 8, 2024, according to Time and Date.
A supermoon occurs when the moon is new or full at the same time that it is within 90 percent of its closest point to Earth in its orbit. A full supermoon can appear slightly bigger and brighter, especially when combined with the moon illusion—that is, when the moon looks larger because it appears near the horizon, trees, or a building. Supermoons, both new and full, can also have an outsize effect on tides.
What are the dates and names of the full moons in 2024?
Along with the dates of every full moon, The Old Farmer's Almanac publishes their traditional names, which were passed down for generations in Native American tribes (some naming customs from European American settlers are woven in too). According to the popular reference guide, these special names, based on natural events, helped users keep track of the seasons, though the same moon often went by other monikers in different regions. (All times noted are Eastern Standard or Eastern Daylight.)
Full Moon Calendar 2024
January 25, 2024 (12:54 PM) Wolf Moon
Said to be so named for the wolf's hungry howling during mid-winter nights.February 24, 2024 (7:30 AM) Snow Moon
The snow was often heaviest come February—and this lunation.March 25, 2024 (3:00 AM) Worm Moon
This moon comes at beginning of the spring thaw, when earthworms reappear and robins soon after them.April 23, 2024 (7:49 PM) Pink Moon
Named not for the color of this moon, but for the hue of wild ground phlox, one of the first plants to bloom come spring.May 23, 2024 (9:53 AM) Flower Moon
So dubbed for the blooms typically growing in glorious profusion in May.June 21, 2024 (9:08 PM) Strawberry Moon
While a full, red moon might resemble a strawberry, this moon is named for the fruit that's usually ready to pick around the time of it.July 21, 2024 (6:17 AM) Buck Moon
This moon coincides with the time of the year when male deer grow new antlers.August 19, 2024 (2:26 PM) Sturgeon Moon
Judging by its name, the fishing is good during this moon—especially for sturgeon, found in the Great Lakes and other northern bodies of water.September 17, 2024 (10:34 PM) Harvest Moon
The full moon closest to the fall equinox, the Harvest Moon may occur occasionally in October. It is during the helpful light of this moon that corn is often harvested. In 2024, this moon will be the first full supermoon of the year.October 17, 2024 (7:26 AM) Hunter’s Moon
This moon marked a crucial time for hunters to store up meat before winter. The Hunter's Moon also was considered a feast day for Native Americans and many Western Europeans. This year, it will also be a full supermoon, the last of the year.November 15, 2024 (4:28 PM) Beaver Moon
Trapping beavers, prized for their warm fur, was popular during this lunation's activity.December 15, 2024 (4:02 AM) Cold Moon
This moon marks the start of the year's coldest months.
What does the full moon mean to us astrologically?
In astrology, the moon represents our feelings, instincts, and desires. "It's a representation and a reflection of our interior world," according to Serafice. "When you’re doing your natal chart, which is the arrangement of the heavenly bodies at the time that you entered this physical realm, the moon represents your emotions. (Your natal moon sign) gives reference to how you're likely to respond emotionally to different scenarios and situations. So, the moon is the connection to our feelings, our intuition, and our subconscious."
"Since the moon represents our interior experience," Serafice continues, "when she is full you tend to feel more full and in less control of your emotions which can appear as the weepies, an outburst, a general sense of sensitivity, an overflowing or a full-on breakdown. To be clear, the astrological activity does not cause the way you feel, but they can describe the circumstance that you are experiencing and give you tools for coping and managing how you personally process the information."
What are the moon's phases?
The lunar cycle takes about 30 days (29.5 to be exact) to complete and includes eight moon phases. The four major ones are new moon, first quarter moon, full moon, and third quarter moon. The four intermediary ones are waxing crescent, waxing gibbous, waning gibbous, and waning crescent.
See our guide to the moon phases to understand, from an astronomical perspective, why the moon appears partially or fully illuminated (or not illuminated at all) as it moves through the lunar cycle. But astrologically speaking, here is what the moon's major phases mean to us, according to Serafice:
The New Moon
"This is when we get started. One of the things we find is that because it’s dark, we tend to have less of an emotional response and our logic mind tends to be more forward. We're more clear and we’re less likely to get triggered, so this is an excellent time to actually work through some of your issues. It’s a really good energy for investigating, researching, building, and exploring. This is the time that you want to make a plan, get organized, decide on your goals and choose how you want to grow over the next month."
The First Quarter Moon
"The moon is waxing, she's growing, so this is when you want to fertilize, to nurture, when you’re going to be connecting to partners or collaborators, or the tools that will help you to accomplish your goals. This is the time when you want to take action, when you will be more able to find resources and connect with the support that you need to reach the spaces that you’ve decided you’re trying to grow into."
The Full Moon
"The full moon represents delivery and release, so this is when you’re going to want to let go, when you’re going to want to rest, when you’re going to want to heal. This is a time for being at peace, you want to be nourishing your body and settling your mind. Emotions are likely to be really high—you are more likely to be triggered, so you really want to be using your self-care during a full moon, and you may even want to retreat and isolate, so that you are more able to care for yourself."
The Three Quarter Moon
"The moon is waning, she's diminishing now. And so we're preparing, we’re conditioning for the next active phase. This is when we’re retreating internally, we’re reflecting and considering where we’re going to shift, change, and let go. So we’ve experienced setting the goal, moving into goal, and achieving some aspect of the goal. Now we can we let things go, so that when the next new moon comes we’re ready to set another level of goals or activate another level of achievement."
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