Full moon September 2026: All you need to know

Full moon in September 2026

When it occurs: September’s full moon—traditionally known as the Corn Moon—will fall on Saturday, September 26, 2026. It will reach peak illumination at 16:49 UTC (12:49 p.m. EDT). It is also the Harvest Moon in 2026.

When to see: Look for the bright full moon rising in the east around sunset on September 26, 2026. It will reach its highest point in the southern sky around midnight and set in the west around sunrise on September 27, 2026.

Here are the moonrise and sunset times for New York City and Los Angeles on September 26, 2026:

• New York City: Moonrise at 6:34 p.m. EDT, sunset at 6:46 p.m. EDT.
• Los Angeles: Moonrise at 6:39 p.m. PDT, sunset at 6:43 p.m. PDT. 

Location: September’s full moon will appear in the zodiac constellation Pisces, the Fish.

Appears near Saturn: September’s full moon will appear above Saturn after dark on September 26, 2026, and to the right of Saturn before dawn on September 27, 2026. Unlike stars, Saturn will appear as a steady point of light and will rise about 30 minutes after the full moon.

First full moon of autumn: September’s full moon will be the first full moon of autumn because it occurs after the autumnal equinox on September 23, 2026, which marks the beginning of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.

Why is September’s full moon called the Corn Moon?

September’s full moon is traditionally known as the Corn Moon because it marks the time of year—late summer into early autumn—when corn is ready to harvest in much of the northern United States. Native American tribes used it as a calendar marker to indicate the time for gathering corn crops.

Is September’s full moon a supermoon or a micromoon?

September’s full Corn Moon will be neither a supermoon nor a micromoon.

Generally, a full moon qualifies as a supermoon if it occurs within 2.4 days of perigee, and as a micromoon if it occurs within 2.4 days of apogee. Since the full moon in September 2026 will occur about five days before lunar perigee and about seven days after lunar apogee, it will be neither a supermoon nor a micromoon.

Corn Moon from 2026 to 2030

Here are the dates and times for the Corn Moon from 2026 to 2030:

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