It’s almost time to look up for September’s Harvest Moon

Summer will soon come to an end, and the Harvest Moon will mark the first full moon of the fall season.

The September full moon is tricky in that it could either be the Corn Moon or the Harvest Moon, depending on how close it occurs to the autumnal, or fall, equinox. This year, the equinox will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Here's else what to know about the Harvest Moon in 2026.

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 at night before there was electricity. "The Moon's light was particularly important during fall, when harvests are…

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