Summer will soon come to an end, and the Harvest Moon will mark the first full moon of the fall season.
The September full moon is tricky in that it could either be the Corn Moon or the Harvest Moon, depending on how close it occurs to the autumnal, or fall, equinox. This year, the equinox will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Here's else what to know about the Harvest Moon in 2026.
When will the Harvest Moon peak?
The full moon will peak on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 12:49 p.m. ET, according to the Farmer's Almanac.
Although the peak occurs in the daytime, the moon will still look bright and full the night before and after it peaks.
Why is it called the Harvest Moon?
This year, September's moon is known as the Harvest Moon because it falls closest
to the fall equinox. In 2025, the title of Harvest Moon went to the October full moon. When it doesn't fall on the date closest to the fall equinox, the moon is named the Corn Moon.
The Harvest Moon gets it name from farmers heavily relying on the moon's light to get their job done at night before there was electricity. "The Moon's light was particularly important during fall, when harvests are the largest," according to NASA.
September's full moon can also be called the following, to honor the transition from summer to fall, according to Almanac:
- Autumn Moon
- Falling Leaves Moon
- Leaves Turning Moon
- Moon of Brown Leaves
- Yellow Leaf Moon
List of remaining full moons for 2026
Here are the rest of the full moon dates for 2026, according to the Farmer's Almanac:
- Hunter's Moon: Peaks Oct. 26 at 12:12 a.m. ET
- Beaver Moon (supermoon): Peaks Nov. 24 at 9:53 a.m. ET
- Cold Moon (supermoon): Peaks Dec. 23 at 8:28 p.m. ET
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: It's almost time to look up for September's Harvest Moon
