September 2026 Full Moon Is A Harvest Moon

MIAMI, Florida – The September 2026 Full Moon is a Harvest Moon that will occur on Saturday, September 26, 2026, beginning with a moonrise over Florida’s east coast at 7:08 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (with a few minutes of variation depending on your exact location).

The Full Moon will technically be 100% full at 12:49 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on September 26, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. Because peak illumination falls during daylight in Florida, the Moon will appear full to the naked eye on Saturday night, September 26, and again on Sunday night, September 27.

When is the best time to watch the Harvest Moon?

Low hanging moons near the horizon appear larger to humans. So the Harvest Moon will appear biggest to the naked eye on the U.S. east coast during and just after moonrise Saturday evening, September 26, around 7:08 p.m. EDT in Miami. It will also look full Sunday night, September 27, when it rises at about 7:43 p.m. EDT.

Look east shortly after sunset. Saturn will appear as a bright “star” near the Moon on both evenings.

Why is September’s Full Moon Called a Harvest Moon?

The Harvest Moon gets its name from agriculture. In the days before electric lights, farmers depended on bright moonlight to extend the workday beyond sunset. It was the only way they could gather their ripening crops in time for market. The Full Moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox became “the Harvest Moon.”

September’s Full Moon is also traditionally known as a Corn Moon. When it is the closest Full Moon to the equinox, the Harvest Moon name takes precedence.

Usually, the Harvest Moon arrives a few days to weeks before or after the beginning of fall.

This year, the Autumn Equinox and changing of the calendar seasons will occur on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 8:05 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Equinox means “equal night” in Latin, capturing the idea that daytime and nighttime are equal lengths everywhere on the planet.

Full Moon High Tide

For those planning to walk, bike, or run along the beach in Florida, this Full Moon brings along with it a 3.3 ft. + Atlantic Ocean high tide on the east coast and a 2.5 ft. + to about 3 ft. high tide on Florida’s Gulf Coast. East-coast highs build a little more into September 27-28, so check local tide charts before heading out.