Full moon in September

By Alexander Merz · Published on 17 August 2026 · Details checked on 14 September 2026

Here you will find the exact date of the full moon in September – with the time for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the traditional name of the month’s full moon and the dates for the years ahead.

And if you want to see the Moon closer than with the naked eye: our buying guide for beginners explains which telescope makes sense to start with, what budget to plan for and which classic mistakes to avoid.

How the full moon sits in the sky in September

In September the full moon climbs higher again. The Harvest Moon rises on several evenings in a row with unusually little delay from one to the next – which is where its name from the harvest season comes from.

Harvest Moon – where the name comes from

The Harvest Moon is the only monthly full moon named not after a calendar month but after an astronomical event: it is always the full moon that falls closest to the autumn equinox. Usually that is in September, but in some years it is in October. Its hallmark is a very practical effect: because the Moon’s path meets the horizon at a shallow angle in autumn, the Moon rises at almost the same time on several evenings in a row. Before electrification this light extended the working day out in the fields – hence the name.

Almost all of the full moon names in common use today come from North America and were popularised by American almanacs. German-speaking countries had their own names for the months: September was called Scheiding or Herbstmond. Both traditions mean the same thing – an attempt to pin the course of the year to what is actually happening outdoors.

What else is happening in the sky in September

In September it gets dark earlier in the evening again, and the autumn equinox finally tips the balance in favour of the night. The full moon of the month traditionally carries the name Harvest Moon.

Full moon in September: the dates for the coming years

The interval from one full moon to the next averages 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes. Because our calendar months are longer, the date shifts forward year by year – which is why the full moon in September never falls on the same date. All upcoming dates are listed in the full moon calendar, and our page on the Moon explains how the phases come about.

The dates that are actually worth it are often months apart – and easily forgotten. So you do not miss one:

Observing the full moon – an honest note

As lovely as the full moon is to the naked eye, in a telescope this is precisely the phase in which it is least interesting. Because the Sun shines straight down onto the lunar surface, the shadows are missing and craters look flat. You see considerably more a few days before or after full moon along the day-night boundary, the so-called terminator. If you still want to look at the full moon through a telescope, you should use a moon filter, a grey filter that dims the brightness – without one the glare is uncomfortable. There is more on this in our buying guide to observing the Moon.

The Harvest Moon is bright: a moon filter against the glare: Omegon Premium Moon Filter 1.25″

Dims the harsh moonlight, is easy on the eyes and brings out far more contrast and detail – our best-selling filter and the number-one pick to start with.

Price: € 19.90

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