Fall is looking up. Harvest Moon is set to peak today

Leaves will soon turn yellow and orange, and temperatures will begin to drop because fall is finally here. And September's Harvest Moon will mark the first full moon of the season.

While the names of moons usually never change and are based on the month they fall in, the Harvest Moon is different. It can occur in either September or October, depending on which moon will fall closest to the date of the fall equinox.

Here's what to know about fall's first full moon of 2026 and when it will peak.

The full moon will peak on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 12:49 p.m. ET, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

Although the peak occurs in the daytime, the moon will still look bright and full the night before and after it peaks.

This year, September's moon is known as the Harvest Moon because it falls closest to the fall equinox. In 2025, the title of Harvest Moon went to the October full moon. When it doesn't fall on the date closest to the fall equinox, the moon is named the Corn Moon.

The Harvest Moon gets it name from farmers heavily relying on the moon's light to get their job done…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/