The Hunter's Moon in 2027: date, time and why it has that name
The next Hunter's Moon, the full Moon that follows the Harvest Moon, is on .
It follows the Harvest Moon of .
Next three
The next three Hunter's Moon dates
- 389,926 km
- 399,065 km
- 406,265 km
The name
Why it is called the Hunter's Moon
The Hunter's Moon is the second of the two names set by the equinox. By the time it comes round, the crops are in and the fields are cleared, so game stands out and bright evenings help hunters track it; the almanac name hands the Moon to them. Its date moves when the Harvest Moon moves.
Travel Moon and Dying Grass Moon are other names for this part of autumn. The Anglo-Saxon calendar's October name, Winterfylleth, is usually read as winter full Moon, and the modern revival list gives October's Moon the name Harvest Moon.
Most years the Hunter's Moon is in October. When the Harvest Moon falls in early October, the Hunter's Moon moves to early November and the same full Moon is also the Beaver Moon. That next happens in 2028.
- Usually in
- October
- Next full
- Distance then
- 389,926 km
- Supermoon then
- No
- Next three
- Oct 15, 2027 · Nov 2, 2028 · Oct 22, 2029
In the sky
How the Hunter's Moon looks
The Hunter's Moon keeps some of the Harvest Moon's quick succession of moonrises: the shallow angle eases, so the delay between nights is still short, though it begins to grow. It rises just north of due east around sunset, and its light falls on trees turning color or already bare.
The Moon peaks about 60 degrees up at 40 degrees north, and the evenings are noticeably shorter than at the Harvest Moon. Low in the east it looks orange and enlarged; the enlargement is an illusion produced by trees and rooftops, and a coin at arm's length covers the disc at any height.
In the south October is spring, so a hunters' name for autumn does not fit the season, but the Moon is the same. It reaches about 45 degrees up at 35 degrees south, crossing the northern sky on a mild night.
- Northern Hemisphere
- The Moon rises in the east near sunset
- Southern Hemisphere
- The same Moon, markings turned upside down
- Colour
- Gold near the horizon, white once it climbs
- Rises
- Around sunset
- Sets
- Around sunrise
Questions people ask
Quick answers
When is the next Hunter's Moon?
October 15, 2027 (UTC). The cards above show the next three, in your time zone.
Why is it called the Hunter's Moon?
The Hunter's Moon is the second of the two names set by the equinox. By the time it comes round, the crops are in and the fields are cleared, so game stands out and bright evenings help hunters track it; the almanac name hands the Moon to them. Its date moves when the Harvest Moon moves.
Is the Hunter's Moon a supermoon?
Not the next one: the Moon is 389,926 km away, farther than 361,400 km. Some years it is.
Does the Hunter's Moon change colour?
The Moon only looks gold or orange when it is low and its light crosses a lot of air. Higher up it looks white.
Is this name the same everywhere?
No. These are the US almanac names. Other regions and traditions name the same full Moons differently, and the names are not one single tradition.