Look up! The full 'Harvest Moon' rises in Sept. 2026

September's Full Harvest Moon rises to flood the early autumn sky with a bounty of moonlight on September 26th. Here's what to expect. The Harvest Full Moon is the name given to the full moon that falls closest to the autumn equinox, which this year marked the end of summer and the beginning of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere on September 22nd. September's Full Moon will reach its point of maximum illumination at 1249pm EDT, when the moon shines opposite the sun in Earth's sky, appearing fully illuminated from our perspective. We'll get our glimpse of the Full Harvest Moon rising over the eastern horizon just as the sun sets on September 26th. The glare cast by its fully lit disk is going to be intense, but the brightest stars and planets can still shine brightly enough to pierce through that moonlight veil. And that includes the diamond formation of stars belonging to the Great Square of Pegasus, which will sparkle above the Harvest Moon soon after it appears over the autumn skyline. Around this time, you may notice the moon adopt a yellow-orange colour, as sunlight reflected off its surface is scattered by Earth's atmosphere. The lunar disk will return to its usual silvery lustre upon rising higher into the autumn sky, where light reflected from its surface will have to cut through less of our planet's atmosphere. Look out for Saturn shining as a bright star-like object a little over 5 degrees below the moon for viewers in the US about an hour after moonrise. A 6-inch telescope will help reveal its iconic ring system, along with bright points of light representing the large moons Titan, Rhea, Dione, Iapetus, Tethys and Enceladus. Turn your scope on the moon and you'll see evidence of its violent past etched across its surface. Bright rays mark material blasted outward by relatively recent impacts, while vast dark lunar seas lie where basaltic lava flooded ancient craters. September's Harvest Moon will track a steady arc over the southern horizon as the night unfolds, before finally setting in the west as dawn breaks on September 27th. Want to capture your own gorgeous views of the moon? Then head on over to space.com and check out our easy guide to photographing the lunar disk. While you're at it, be sure to check out our picks of the best cameras and lenses available for astrophotography if you're thinking about upgrading your gear. And that just about wraps things up, but before you go, I want to tell you about our good friends at Norton VPN. We all know that protecting your data is super important, and it all starts with your internet connection. Whether you're browsing online, streaming your favorite content or working from home, Norton VPN helps keep your devices and privacy safe. Right now you can get 50% off your first year. That's just $39.99, which works out to only $3.33 a month. Hit the link in the description below to get protected today, and thanks as always for watching.