Calendar Full Moon Schedule

When is the next full moon? Check the Calendar Full Moon Calendar

The Moon completes its orbit around the Earth in approximately 27.3 days, so the Full Moon Schedule is a few days off the12 month, 365 day Gregorian Calendar and the Full Moon does not fall on the same day of each month. (5)

The Moon's fullness is a mater of our Earth-bound point of view

Except for the occasional lunar eclipse, half of the moon is always illuminated by the sun but because of our viewing angle from earth, it only appears full when an observer on Earth can see all of the illuminated side. A Full Moon can be observed when the Moon is on the side of the earth opposite the sun. As the moon orbits the earth, monthly moon phases are observed according to how much of the illuminated side is seen, not because of the Earth's shadow falling on the moon.

Why doesn't the Earth's shadow eclipse the Moon every month?

The Moons orbit is more complicated than a simple circular path around the Earth. The orbit is elliptical and it's plane is tilted approximately 5.1 degrees off the Earth's orbit plane around the sun. It also is not fixed in space but moves over time. Therefore, the earths umbra only eclipses the moon on the rare occasions when the moons orbit caries it directly behind the Earth.

2011 Calendar Full Moon Schedule - A Full Moon Schedule for 2011 (2001 - 2025 Full Moon Table can be found below.)

Calendar Full Moon

Astronomy During a Full Moon

The Sun's light reflected off the moon is very bright in the night sky. "Full Moons are generally a poor time to conduct astronomical observations, since the bright reflected sunlight from the moon overwhelms the dimmer light from stars."(2) That is unless you are observing or photographing the moon itself.

Full Moon Folklore

The Full Moon is accompanied by a host of myths and legends about it's effects on people. Thought by some to be associated with insomnia and insanity, psychologists have found that there is little evidence for positive or negative effects on human behavior.(2) It seems reasonable to assume that a Full Moon could contribute to insomnia due to an increased amount of bright moonlight interfering with a good night's sleep. Additionally, animals may also be more active and vocal during a Full Moon due to the additional light it provides. Dogs and wolves are thought to howl at the Full Moon, however it may just be that we notice them howling more because of the insomnia.

If insomnia were not bad enough, "In Italy, France and Germany, it was said that a man could turn into a werewolf if he, on a certain Wednesday or Friday, slept outside on a summer night with the full moon shining directly on his face."(4)

The Moon Cycles in Calendars

Some calendars are based on the moons cycle. "The Hindu, Thai, Hebrew, Islamic, Tibetan, Mayan, Neo-pagan, Germanic, Celtic, and the traditional Chinese calendars are all based on the phases of the Moon. None of these calendars, however, begins its months with the Full Moon. In the Chinese, Jewish, Thai and some Hindu calendars, the Full Moon always occurs in the middle of a month." (2)

Calendar Full Moon - Schedule for 2001 - 2025

Calendar Full Moon Schedule for 2001 - 2005
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Jan  9
Feb  8
Mar  9
Apr  8
May  7
Jun  6
Jul  5
Aug  4
Sep  2
Oct  2 
Nov  1
Nov 30 
Dec 30

Jan 28
Feb 27
Mar 28
Apr 27
May 26
Jun 24
Jul 24
Aug 22
Sep 21
Oct 21
Nov 20
Dec 19

Jan 18
Feb 16
Mar 18
Apr 16
May 16
Jun 14
Jul 13
Aug 12
Sep 10
Oct 10
Nov  9
Dec  8

Jan  7
Feb  6
Mar  6
Apr  5
May  4
Jun  3
Jul  2
Jul 31
Aug 30
Sep 28
Oct 28
Nov 26
Dec 26

Jan 25
Feb 24
Mar 25
Apr 24
May 23
Jun 22
Jul 21
Aug 19
Sep 18
Oct 17
Nov 16
Dec 15
Calendar Full Moon Schedule for 2006 - 2010
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Jan 14
Feb 13
Mar 14
Apr 13
May 13
Jun 11
Jul 11
Aug  9
Sep  7
Oct  7
Nov  5
Dec  5

Jan  3
Feb  2
Mar  3
Apr  2
May  2
Jun  1
Jun 30
Jul 30
Aug 28
Sep 26
Oct 26
Nov 24
Dec 24

Jan 22
Feb 21
Mar 21
Apr 20
May 20
Jun 18
Jul 18
Aug 16
Sep 15
Oct 14
Nov 13
Dec 12

Jan 11
Feb  9
Mar 11
Apr  9
May  9
Jun  7
Jul  7
Aug  6
Sep  4
Oct  4
Nov  2
Dec  2
Dec 31

Jan 30
Feb 28
Mar 30
Apr 28
May 27
Jun 26
Jul 26
Aug 24
Sep 23
Oct 23
Nov 21
Dec 21
Calendar Full Moon Schedule for 2011 - 2015
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Jan 19
Feb 18
Mar 19
Apr 18
May 17
Jun 15
Jul 15
Aug 13
Sep 12
Oct 12
Nov 10
Dec 10

Jan  9
Feb  7
Mar  8
Apr  6
May  6
Jun  4
Jul  3
Aug  2
Aug 31
Sep 30
Oct 29
Nov 28
Dec 28

Jan 27
Feb 25
Mar 27
Apr 25
May 25
Jun 23
Jul 22
Aug 21
Sep 19
Oct 18
Nov 17
Dec 17

Jan 16
Feb 14
Mar 16
Apr 15
May 14
Jun 13
Jul 12
Aug 10
Sep  9
Oct  8
Nov  6
Dec  6

Jan  5
Feb  3
Mar  5
Apr  4
May  4
Jun  2
Jul  2
Jul 31
Aug 29
Sep 28
Oct 27
Nov 25
Dec 25
Calendar Full Moon Schedule for 2016 - 2020
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Jan 24
Feb 22
Mar 23
Apr 22
May 21
Jun 20
Jul 19
Aug 18
Sep 16
Oct 16
Nov 14
Dec 14

Jan 12
Feb 11
Mar 12
Apr 11
May 10
Jun  9
Jul  9
Aug  7
Sep  6
Oct  5
Nov  4
Dec  3

Jan  2
Jan 31
Mar  2
Mar 31
Apr 30
May 29
Jun 28
Jul 27
Aug 26
Sep 25
Oct 24
Nov 23
Dec 22

Jan 21
Feb 19
Mar 21
Apr 19
May 18
Jun 17
Jul 16
Aug 15
Sep 14
Oct 13
Nov 12
Dec 12

Jan 10
Feb  9
Mar  9
Apr  8
May  7
Jun  5
Jul  5
Aug  3
Sep  2
Oct  1
Oct 31
Nov 30
Dec 30
Calendar Full Moon Schedule for 2021 - 2025
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Jan 28
Feb 27
Mar 28
Apr 27
May 26
Jun 24
Jul 24
Aug 22
Sep 20
Oct 20
Nov 19
Dec 19

Jan 17
Feb 16
Mar 18
Apr 16
May 16
Jun 14
Jul 13
Aug 12
Sep 10
Oct  9
Nov  8
Dec  8

Jan  6
Feb  5
Mar  7
Apr  6
May  5
Jun  4
Jul  3
Aug  1
Aug 31
Sep 29
Oct 28
Nov 27
Dec 27

Jan 25
Feb 24
Mar 25
Apr 23
May 23
Jun 22
Jul 21
Aug 19
Sep 18
Oct 17
Nov 15
Dec 15

Jan 13
Feb 12
Mar 14
Apr 13
May 12
Jun 11
Jul 10
Aug  9
Sep  7
Oct  7
Nov  5
Dec  4

Full Moon Calendar Schedule Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC, based on Universal Time. Depending on the time zone you are in the day may vary from the chart.

Calendar Full Moon Schedule Sources

  1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_phase
  2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon
  3. http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/phase/phasecat.html
  4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf
  5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit_of_the_Moon

 

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