The Full Hunter’s Moon is Just Days Away
The latest full moon is coming this week. Here's how to catch the light-up-the-sky event.
The full Hunter Moon is coming for the night sky this week. This autumnal fall event gives stargazing enthusiasts the chance to enjoy the start of fall with a wonderfully bright night sky. Here is everything you need to know about the Hunter Moon — including where the name comes from, when to see it, and how best to view upon it’s pale face.
What’s the Hunter Moon?
Simply put, it’s a full moon, which means it qualifies for a cool nickname.
In this case, the reason it’s called the Hunter Moon is not all that complicated. The brightness of this full moon allowed hunters to track game into the night. According to AccuWeather, the name tracks all the way back to Native American folklore and is how “tribes back then kept track of the seasons by giving a distinct name and meaning.”
When is the Hunter Moon?
The Hunter Moon will peak on Wednesday, October 20 at 10:57 A.M. EST but really, the best time to see it is that night. You can check the exact time of the moonrise and moonset in your exact location, though you honestly do not need to overthink this one.
On Wednesday night, when the sun sets, the Hunter Moon will be on full glorious display in the sky, provided that no pesky clouds get in the way.
The good news is that the moon should be brightly illuminated pretty much this entire week, so you should be able to get some real nice moon-viewing up until the actual Hunter Moon, along with a night or two afterward.
Anything Else?
The next full moon won’t be coming until November 19, but if having to wait a whole month is too much for you, good news: the next New Moon is on November 4 and it’s actually going to be a “Super New Moon,” meaning the Moon will be at its closest to the Earth (translation: it’s going to be super-duper bright).
