With Halloween and the end of daylight saving less than a week away, the timing is fitting for a full moon.
And the hunter’s moon promises not to disappoint. A name rooted in the cold turn toward winter, when falling leaves, thinned brush and lasting autumn moonlight traditionally made it easier for hunters to track game and gather food for the frigid months ahead.
The next full moon will be October’s hunter’s moon, set to rise this weekend and illuminate the autumn sky just days before Halloween and the end of daylight saving time 2026, shining for several nights. Here’s when and what time to watch.
The hunter’s moon will reach peak illumination at 12:12 a.m. ET Monday, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, but the best show comes Sunday evening
as the nearly full moon rises low over the eastern horizon around sunset. It will appear full and bright from about Oct. 25 through Oct. 27.
And while the full moon arrives just in time for the run-up to Halloween, it will be waning by Halloween night as it heads toward its next phase.
Here’s everything to know about October’s hunter’s moon, what time to watch it rise this weekend, what the moon will look like on Halloween and the current moon phases.
When is the next full moon 2026?
The next full moon will be the October hunter’s moon, reaching peak illumination Monday, Oct. 26, at 12:12 a.m. ET. It will appear nearly full Sunday night and remain bright around its peak, giving stargazers several opportunities to watch.
The hunter’s moon will rise in the east around sunset and travel across the sky overnight before setting in the west around sunrise.
What is the best time to see the hunter’s moon?
The best time to see the hunter’s moon rise will be Sunday evening, Oct. 25, around sunset. Look toward the eastern horizon from an open location with an unobstructed view. No telescope is needed.
Why does the moon look orange?
The hunter’s moon may appear larger and more golden or orange when it rises low on the horizon, but the moon itself does not change color. Moonlight near the horizon travels through more of Earth’s atmosphere, scattering shorter blue wavelengths and allowing warmer orange and red colors to stand out. The effect is similar to the colors of a sunrise or sunset.
Why is it called the hunter’s moon?
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, fields had been cleared following the harvest, leaves had fallen and animals were easier to spot across the open landscape. The bright moon rising soon after sunset also allowed hunters to track game later into the night.
The hunter’s moon is the first full moon after the harvest moon. In 2026, the harvest moon occurred Sept. 26, making the Oct. 26 full moon the hunter’s moon. Other traditional names for October’s full moon include the falling leaves moon, drying rice moon, travel moon and dying grass moon.
Is the October hunter’s moon a supermoon?
No, the October hunter’s moon is not considered a supermoon. A supermoon happens when a full moon occurs near the closest point to Earth in its orbit, making it appear slightly larger and brighter than an average full moon.
The hunter’s moon may still appear unusually large as it rises because of the moon illusion, which makes the moon look larger when viewed near trees, buildings and other objects along the horizon.
Will there be a full moon on Halloween 2026?
No. The hunter’s moon reaches peak illumination five days before Halloween. By Saturday, Oct. 31, the moon will be a bright waning gibbous, shrinking toward the last-quarter phase on Sunday, Nov. 1, according to the 2026 lunar calendar.
When does daylight saving time end in 2026?
Daylight saving time will end on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, one week after the hunter’s moon reaches peak illumination and the morning after Halloween. Clocks will “fall back” one hour at 2 a.m. local time, returning to 1 a.m.
What are the current moon phases?
Here are the upcoming moon phases, according toTimeanddate:
- 🌓 First quarter: Oct. 18
- 🌕 Full moon: Oct. 26
- 🌗 Last quarter: Nov. 1
- 🌑 New moon: Nov. 9
When is the November full moon 2026?
The next full moon after October’s hunter’s moon will be the November beaver moon on Tuesday, Nov. 24.
When is the winter solstice 2026?
The first day of winter will arrive with the winter solstice on Monday, Dec. 21, 2026, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist covering trending and breaking topics across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions for USA Today Network. Reach her at mfrancis@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Catch the next full moon, the Hunter’s moon, rising before Halloween
