A blue moon, lunar eclipses and super moons. What 2026 has in store.
- - A blue moon, lunar eclipses and super moons. What 2026 has in store.
Julia Gomez, USA TODAYJanuary 2, 2026 at 6:01 AM
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2026 will bring several lunar events that backyard astronomers will want to stay awake for.
The first full moon of the year will take place on Saturday, Jan. 3, and is known as the Wolf Moon, according to the Farmer's Almanac.
The moon will also be a super moon, which will look around 30% brighter and up to 14% larger. It will be the last super moon until November 2026.
But January's full moon isn't the only lunar event to look forward to in 2026. From an eclipse and a blue moon to super moons, these are the events you should mark your calendar for.
When is the first full moon of 2026?
The first full moon will take place on Saturday, Jan. 3, and it will also be a super moon.
Once in a blue moon
A blue moon is set to occur on May 31, and will peak at 4:45 a.m. ET. And no, the moon won't actually look like the color blue.
A blue moon is not a common occurrence, hence the expression "once in a blue moon," and only occurs every 2.5 years, according to NASA.
The last blue moon occurred on Aug. 19, 2024, when the moon was a super blue moon, meaning it was the closest it had been to Earth that month and appeared brighter and larger.
Several lunar events will take place throughout 2026.2026 lunar eclipses
There will be two lunar eclipses in 2026, according to NASA. Both will be visible in the Americas.
The lunar eclipses will take place on the following dates:
Total lunar eclipse/blood moon- Tuesday, March 3
Partial lunar eclipse- Friday, Aug. 28
2026 super moons
2026 will have three super moons, including the one in January.
The super moon will take place on the following dates, according to the Detroit Free Press, a part of the USA TODAY Network:
Saturday, Jan. 3
Tuesday, Nov. 24
Wednesday, Dec. 23
When will the moon be full in 2026?
The moon will be full on the following dates, according to the Farmer's Almanac:
Wolf Moon- Peaks Jan. 3, at 5:03 a.m. ET
Snow Moon- Peaks Feb. 1, at 5:09 p.m. ET
Worm Moon (total lunar eclipse)- Peaks March 3, at 6:38 a.m. ET
Pink Moon- Peaks April 1, at 10:12 p.m. ET
Flower Moon- Peaks May 1, at 1:23 p.m. ET
Blue Moon- Peaks May 31, at 4:45 a.m. ET. The blue moon occurs when two full moons occur in the same month. The last blue moon occurred on Aug. 19, 2024, according to Space.com.
Strawberry Moon- Peaks June 29, at 7:57 p.m. ET
Buck Moon- Peaks July 29, at 10:36 a.m. ET
Sturgeon Moon (partial lunar eclipse)- Peaks Aug. 28, at 12:18 a.m. ET
Harvest Moon- Peaks Sept. 26, at 12:49 p.m. ET
Hunter's Moon- Peaks Oct. 26, at 12:12 a.m. ET
Beaver Moon (super moon)- Peaks Nov. 24, at 9:53 a.m. ET
Cold Moon (super moon)- Peaks Dec. 23, at 8:28 p.m.
Contributing: Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press
Julia is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers scientific studies and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: See list of 2026 lunar events. A blue moon, eclipses and more
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