Hunter’s Moon 2024: See The Year’s Biggest Supermoon in October 2024
October Full Moon, the Hunter’s Moon, is coming on October 17. It will be a Supermoon, the brightest and biggest one of the year! Use the Sky Tonight app to find out when the Supermoon will be visible from your location, and read on to learn what the Hunter’s Moon means.
Contents
- When is the Full Moon in October 2024?
- Supermoon in October 2024
- What is the Hunter’s Moon?
- October Full Moon alternative names
- When is the next Full Moon 2024: the Beaver Moon
- Full Moon in October 2024: Conclusion
When is the Full Moon in October 2024?
This month, the Full Moon will occur on Thursday, October 17, at 11:26 GMT (7:26 a.m. EDT). At this time, our natural satellite will lie in the constellation Pisces. It will appear full for about three days, so start watching from Wednesday, October 16.
For the best experience, try watching the Full Moon around sunset when it’s near the horizon. During this time, the Moon appears larger (this effect is known as the Moon illusion) and takes on a beautiful orange tint due to atmospheric refraction — a perfect addition to the autumn landscapes in the Northern Hemisphere!
There's more: this Full Moon will also be a Supermoon! Keep reading to find out what that means.
Moon phases in October 2024
- 🌑 New Moon: October 2, 18:49 GMT (2:49 p.m. EDT).
- 🌓 First Quarter: October 10, 18:55 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT).
- 🌕 Full Moon: October 17, 11:26 GMT (7:26 a.m. EDT).
- 🌗 Last Quarter: October 24, 08:03 GMT (4:03 a.m. EDT).
Check our comprehensive lunar calendar, where you can easily track the Moon phase for any date. Plan your stargazing adventures with precise moonrise and moonset times, all in one convenient place.
You can also find out the Moon’s phase, brightness, location and other details in the Moon calendar of the Sky Tonight astronomy app. Just open the app, tap the calendar icon at the bottom of the main screen, and go to the “Moon” tab to get all the up-to-date information about our natural satellite. The images of the Moon in the calendar correspond to the actual appearance of the Moon on that day.
Supermoon in October 2024
The October Full Moon 2024 is listed in the table of Supermoons by former NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak. It is also included in the list of Supermoons by Richard Nolle, the astrologer who coined the term "Supermoon". This means that this Full Moon will occur near the perigee and will appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky than regular Full Moons. Check our special article to learn why there are two tables of Supermoons, and how they differ.
Also, this Full Moon will be the biggest and brightest in 2024, as the Moon will approach the Earth the closest this year. At the moment of perigee, the distance between them will be 357,364 km (for comparison, the average distance between the Earth and the Moon is 384,400 km).
What is the Hunter’s Moon?
The Hunter’s Moon is not associated with a particular month. In short, it is the Full Moon that comes right after the Harvest Moon.
Hunter’s Moon and Harvest Moon
You might recall that the Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox, which comes in September in the Northern Hemisphere and March in the Southern Hemisphere. The Harvest Moon may occur either in September or October (and in March or April in the Southern Hemisphere).
The Hunter’s Moon is the first Full Moon to follow the Harvest Moon. This means it may take place in October or November (in the Southern Hemisphere – in April or May).
Why is it called the Hunter’s Moon?
The farmers had traditionally finished reaping their fields under the light of the Harvest Moon. By the time of the next Full Moon, the fields were clean, so the hunters could easily see the animals prowling in search of food before the winter. Moreover, at this time of the month, the Moon rises at around dusk and sets at around dawn. The moonlight allowed the hunters to track down the prey into the late evening.
When is the next Hunter’s Moon?
In 2024, the Hunter’s Moon in the Northern Hemisphere will take place on October 17, at 11:26 GMT (7:26 a.m. EDT). For the Southern Hemisphere, the date is April 23, 2024, at 23:49 GMT (7:49 p.m. EDT). In 2025, the Hunter’s Moon will occur on April 13, at 00:22 GMT (April 12, 8:22 p.m. EDT) in the Southern Hemisphere and on November 5, at 13:19 GMT (08:19 a.m. EST) in the Northern Hemisphere.
October Full Moon alternative names
The October Full Moon that is closer to the autumnal equinox than the September one may be referred to as the Harvest Moon. On average, it happens every three years.
The traditional names used by the Native American tribes are the Migrating Moon (or the Travel Moon – at this time, the birds fly to warmer climes), Freezing Moon (or Ice Moon, because at this time, the first frosts begin), Falling Leaves Moon and Dying Grass Moon.
The other alternative names include:
- Chinese: Kindly Moon
- Wiccan: Blood Moon
- South African: Seed Moon
- Southern Hemisphere: Egg Moon, Fish Moon, Pink Moon, Waking Moon
October Blood Moon
Sometimes the October Full Moon is called the Blood Moon, which refers to the hunting season but not to the Moon’s actual color (not to be confused with the Blood Moon that denotes a lunar eclipse).
Red Moon
The October Full Moon might appear red or orange when it’s hanging low above the horizon. At this point, the Moon’s light has to pass through a thicker layer of air. As a result, the blue wavelengths get scattered by the atmosphere, leaving more of the red wavelengths, so the Moon gets an orange or reddish hue. Take our quiz to learn more about the possible colors of the Moon!
Halloween Full Moon
The October Full Moon may occur close to Halloween, which evokes mystical associations. However, the October Full Moon rarely coincides with Halloween night itself. The next Halloween Full Moon will occur in 2039.
When is the next Full Moon 2024: the Beaver Moon
The November Full Moon, or the Beaver Moon, will occur on November 15, 2024. It will also be a Supermoon — the last one of 2024. Check our Full Moon Calendar to learn the dates and traditional names of the next Full Moons.
Full Moon in October 2024: Conclusion
The Full Moon will take place on October 17, at 11:26 GMT (7:26 a.m. EDT). It’s traditionally called the Hunter’s Full Moon, because it marks the perfect time for hunting. This Full Moon will also be the biggest and brightest Supermoon in 2024. Discover more celestial events in our Sky Tonight app and follow us on social media.
Don’t miss two brightest comets lighting up the sky this October: C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) and C/2024 S1 (ATLAS). These comets are among the brightest seen this century — get the Sky Tonight app and track them in your location today!
We wish you clear skies and successful observations!
