Full Moon 2026: All Dates, the December Supermoon and the Names of the Moons

The full moon has always captured the imagination. It lights up night walks, plays a leading role in old stories and gives the forests a silver glow. When is the next full moon? Below you'll find all dates for late 2026, the first ones of 2027 and everything you need to know about the supermoon.

Full moon: the dates for late 2026

All times are Belgian time.

Early 2027

• 22 January 2027: Wolf Moon
• 20-21 February 2027: Snow Moon
• 22 March 2027: Worm Moon

A full moon is "full" at one precise moment, but to the naked eye the moon also looks completely round the evening before and after. Want to watch it rise? Go out on the evening closest to that moment.

A supermoon on Christmas night

In the night of 23 to 24 December 2026 there's a supermoon. That means the full moon coincides with the moment the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit. It then looks slightly bigger and brighter than usual: up to about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at its farthest point.

The difference isn't huge to the naked eye, but a supermoon rising just above the horizon is a beautiful sight. Close to the horizon the moon always looks bigger than high in the sky, by the way. That's a well-known optical illusion called the moon illusion.

Where do the names of the moons come from?

Names like Wolf Moon and Hunter's Moon come from North American folk traditions and old farmers' almanacs. They describe what happened in nature around that time of year:

• Harvest Moon (September): the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. It gave farmers extra light to harvest in the evening.
• Hunter's Moon (October): the hunting season began, and the moonlight helped hunters.
• Beaver Moon (November): time to set traps for beavers before the water froze.
• Cold Moon (December): the long, cold nights of winter.
• Wolf Moon (January): in the coldest nights people heard the wolves howl. That has nothing to do with the moon, by the way: read why.
• Snow Moon (February): often the month with the most snow.
• Worm Moon (March): the ground thaws and the earthworms come back up.

Tips to enjoy the full moon

1. Take a moonlight walk. With a full moon and a clear sky you can see almost everything in open landscapes without a torch. Do stick to paths you know.
2. Watch the moonrise. Around full moon, the moon rises around sunset, in the east. Find a spot with a clear view of the horizon.
3. Photograph it with a foreground. A tree, a hill or a church tower makes a moon photo much more beautiful.
4. Dress warmly. Clear nights are cold nights. A warm hoodie and a beanie make it a lot more pleasant.

Want to see stars instead?

Then full moon is the worst moment: the moonlight drowns out the faint stars. Go stargazing around new moon instead. Read everything about it in our article on stargazing in Belgium.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next full moon?

The next full moons are on 26 October, 24 November and 24 December 2026. The December moon is a supermoon.

What is a supermoon?

A full moon that coincides with the moment the moon is closest to Earth. It then looks slightly bigger and brighter.

How often is there a full moon?

About every 29.5 days. That's why there are usually 12 full moons a year, and sometimes 13. In 2026 there were 13, with a "blue moon" (a second full moon in the same month) on 31 May.

Wear the moon

For those who love the night: the Crescent Peak design with a crescent moon above a mountain peak, the Lunar Horizon Shirt with a mountain, moon and laurel wreath, or the Silver Howl Sweatshirt with a wolf under the full moon. Discover them all in the Moon & Night Sky collection.