Hunter's Moon's up tonight, here's when to look and every full moon till 2027 Hunter's Moon tonight: when to look in West Cumbria, and every full moon to come
Marra Mode is how we'd tell you this in the Co-op. Switch it off for the straight version.
The Hunter's Moon was bang on full at ten past four this morning and it's up again about 4.20pm tonight. Cloud might spoil it, but it'll look near enough full all week. Here's every full moon into 2027 and how to get a decent photo on your phone.
If you clocked a big bright moon on Sunday night, that was the Hunter's Moon. The Royal Observatory Greenwich says it was exactly full at 4.12am on Monday (timeanddate makes it 4.11), so Sunday night and tonight are your best chances.
Tonight it comes up at about 4.20pm in Whitehaven and Workington, about half an hour before the sun goes down at roughly 4.52pm. It rises in the east-north-east, so look over towards the fells. It can look orange while it's low, then it goes white as it climbs.
Will we actually see it? The Met Office says the rain should clear off by late afternoon, but it's meant to stay cloudy and blowy, with gales possible on the coast. So you might only catch it through gaps. Tuesday's a wild one, with a yellow wind warning out for Cumbria. Wednesday's looking bright though, and the moon will still be over 90% lit, coming up around ten past five. That might be your night.
Why's it called that? The Royal Observatory says October was when folk hunted and stored meat for the winter. It's not a supermoon this time. Astronomy magazine says November's and December's are.
Rest of 2026 (UK times, Royal Observatory Greenwich): - Beaver Moon: Tuesday 24 November, 2.53pm - Cold Moon: Thursday 24 December, 1.28am, so Christmas Eve night
2027 (dates for the UK, worked out by us): - Wolf Moon: Friday 22 January - Snow Moon: Saturday 20 February - Worm Moon: Monday 22 March - Pink Moon: Tuesday 20 April - Flower Moon: Thursday 20 May - Strawberry Moon: Saturday 19 June - Buck Moon: Sunday 18 July - Sturgeon Moon: Tuesday 17 August - Harvest Moon: Thursday 16 September - Hunter's Moon: Friday 15 October - Beaver Moon: Sunday 14 November - Cold Moon: Monday 13 December
Phone photo tips, because it's not just you: - Rest the phone on a wall or the car roof. Any shake and it's a blur. - Tap the moon on screen and drag the brightness right down till you can see the markings, or it's just a white blob. - Turn night mode and flash off. - Use the 2x, 3x or 5x lens if your phone has one instead of pinching right in. - Get it while it's low with Black Combe, a church tower or the harbour in shot. It makes the moon look massive. - Take loads and keep the sharpest.
October's full moon, the Hunter's Moon, was exactly full at 4.11am on Monday 26 October and rises over West Cumbria at about 4.20pm tonight. Cloud may get in the way this evening, but it will still look nearly full later in the week. Here are the dates for every full moon into 2027, plus tips for photographing it on your phone.
If you saw a big bright moon over West Cumbria on Sunday night, that was the Hunter's Moon. The Royal Observatory Greenwich says October's full moon reached its exact full phase at 4.12am on Monday 26 October (timeanddate.com gives 4.11am), so Sunday night and Monday night are the two best evenings to see it.
Tonight, Monday, the moon rises at about 4.20pm in Whitehaven and Workington, roughly half an hour before sunset at about 4.52pm. It comes up in the east-north-east, so look towards the fells. The Royal Observatory says it can look orange when it is low, and the colour fades as it climbs.
Will we see it? The Met Office forecast for North West England says Monday's rain should die out by late afternoon, but the day is expected to stay cloudy, with coastal gales possible. So you may only get glimpses through breaks in the cloud. Tuesday brings very strong winds and showers, and a yellow wind warning covers Cumbria. Wednesday is forecast to be bright, and the moon will still be more than 90% lit, rising at around 5.10pm. That could be the better night to try.
Why the name? The Royal Observatory says the Hunter's Moon got its name because October was traditionally when people hunted and stored meat for the winter. It is not a supermoon this time. Astronomy magazine lists November's and December's full moons as supermoons.
Full moons for the rest of 2026 (UK times, Royal Observatory Greenwich): - Beaver Moon: Tuesday 24 November, 2.53pm - Cold Moon: Thursday 24 December, 1.28am, so Christmas Eve night
Full moons in 2027 (dates for the UK, calculated by Marra News): - Wolf Moon: Friday 22 January - Snow Moon: Saturday 20 February - Worm Moon: Monday 22 March - Pink Moon: Tuesday 20 April - Flower Moon: Thursday 20 May - Strawberry Moon: Saturday 19 June - Buck Moon: Sunday 18 July - Sturgeon Moon: Tuesday 17 August - Harvest Moon: Thursday 16 September - Hunter's Moon: Friday 15 October - Beaver Moon: Sunday 14 November - Cold Moon: Monday 13 December
Tips for a better phone photo: - Rest the phone on a wall, a car roof or a small tripod. Even a little shake blurs the moon. - Tap the moon on screen, then slide the brightness down until you can see its markings. Otherwise it shows up as a white blob. - Turn off night mode and flash, because they are made for dark scenes, not a bright moon. - Use your phone's 2x, 3x or 5x lens if it has one, rather than zooming far in. - Shoot it while it is still low, just after it rises, with Black Combe, a church tower or the harbour in the frame. Something in the foreground makes the moon look bigger. - Take lots of shots and keep the sharpest one.