Tonight’s full moon is generating enthusiasm in certain regions of the world with the occurrence of a complete lunar eclipse. For those locations that won’t experience this, tonight’s full moon is still valuable for observation.

Apart from the legends of werewolves, September’s full moon signifies a key moment in the lunar calendar, with seasonal importance. Here are the details on its timing, nomenclature, and significance.

When is the September full moon?

September’s full moon is set to occur on Sunday, Sept. 7. The last full moon happened on Aug. 9.

Per Astronomy.com, this month’s full moon will reach its maximum at 2:09 a.m. ET.

What is the September full moon called?

Each full moon bears a name, a custom that traces back to ancient societies that utilized the lunar cycle for tracking time and seasonal transformations.

This month’s full moon is referred to as the Corn Moon, according to Royal Museums Greenwich, simply because this corresponds to the time when crops would be harvested as summer comes to a close.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon is anticipated to happen on Oct. 7, 2025, as stated in NASA’s Daily Moon Guide.

What are the lunar phases?

The full moon represents just a single day of the lunar phase, which is a 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s trajectory. Moon phases depict the moon’s appearance from Earth as it revolves around us. We consistently observe the same side of the moon, yet the amount illuminated by the Sun varies based on its position in its orbit. This leads to the occurrence of full moons, half moons, and moons that seem entirely absent.

There are eight principal moon phases, following a continuous cycle:

– New Moon — The moon is located between Earth and the sun, rendering the side we see dark (essentially invisible to the eye).
– Waxing Crescent — A slight sliver of light emerges on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
– First Quarter — Half of the moon is illuminated on the right side. It resembles a half-moon.
– Waxing Gibbous — More than half is lit up, though it hasn’t reached full yet.
– Full Moon — The entire surface of the moon is aglow and fully discernible.
– Waning Gibbous — The moon commences losing light on the right side.
– Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) — Another half-moon, but now the left side is illuminated.
– Waning Crescent — A delicate sliver of light remains on the left side before becoming dark once more.