The phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment ensures the entire side of the Moon that faces us gleams under sunlight. Thanks to the Moon’s orbit around Earth, the angle of sunlight hitting the lunar surface and being reflected back to our planet changes. That creates different lunar phases.
The next Full Moon will be the Flower Moon, which occurs at 12:56 p.m. on Monday, May 12, 2025.
We’ll update this article multiple times each week with the latest moonrise, moonset, Full Moon schedule, and some of what you can see in the sky each week.
Here’s the complete list of Full Moons this year and their traditional names.
2025 Full Moon schedule and names of each
(All times Eastern; * denotes a Super Moon.)
- Monday, Jan. 13 — 5:27 p.m. — Wolf Moon
- Wednesday, Feb. 12 — 8:53 a.m. — Snow Moon
- Friday, March 14 — 2:55 a.m. — Worm Moon
- Saturday, April 12 — 8:22 p.m. — Pink Moon
- Monday, May 12 — 12:56 p.m. — Flower Moon
- Wednesday, June 11 — 3:44 a.m. — Strawberry Moon
- Thursday, July 10 — 4:37 p.m. — Buck Moon
- Saturday, Aug. 9 — 3:55 a.m. — Sturgeon Moon
- Sunday, Sept. 7 — 2:09 p.m. — Corn Moon
- Monday, Oct. 6 — 11:48 p.m. — Hunter’s Moon*
- Wednesday, Nov. 5 — 8:19 a.m. — Beaver Moon*
- Thursday, Dec. 4 — 6:14 p.m. — Cold Moon*
The phases of the Moon in April 2025
The images below show the day-by-day phases of the Moon in April. The Full Moon this month was on Saturday, April 12.
The moonrise and moonset schedule this week
The following is adapted from Alison Klesman’s The Sky This Week column. Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
Tuesday, April 22
Sunrise: 6:11 A.M.
Sunset: 7:46 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:30 A.M.
Moonset: 1:48 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (33%)
Wednesday, April 23
Thanks to a slight offset in its tilt relative to its orbit around our planet, as well as its elliptically shaped orbit, the Moon appears to “wobble” over time, revealing slightly more than strictly half its face to us. Called libration, this effect allows us to peek “over” the limbs in some cases — as tonight, when Mare Orientale is visible as an elongated dark feature on the southwestern limb.
Stretching some 185 miles (300 kilometers) across and ringed by mountain ranges that extend its width to nearly 600 miles (965 km), Mare Orientale is an ancient impact basin that, from directly above, appears like a perfect bull’s-eye. Its floor is coated in dark lava and several other smaller lava patches are also visible nearby, such as Lacus Autumni and Lacus Veris.
The waning Moon is visible in the predawn sky, rising around 4 A.M. local daylight time. The Mare Orientale region will be visible again tomorrow morning, and also next month around Third Quarter.
Sunrise: 6:10 A.M.
Sunset: 7:47 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:58 A.M.
Moonset: 3:01 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (23%)
Thursday, April 24
The Moon passes 2° south of Venus at 9 P.M. EDT, and then moves to pass 2° north of Saturn at midnight EDT.
Sunrise: 6:09 A.M.
Sunset: 7:48 P.M.
Moonrise: 4:23 A.M.
Moonset: 4:15 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (14%)
Friday, April 25
Get up early on the last day of the workweek to view the delicate crescent Moon standing between Mercury and Venus in the morning sky.
Forty minutes before sunrise, Mercury is 2° high in the east. It is now magnitude 0.3. Some 12° to Mercury’s upper right is magnitude –4.8 Venus. Between the two planets hangs the Moon, some 7° high at this time and 8 percent lit, showing off a thin crescent. You may also see earthshine lighting up our satellite’s darkened face — this is light bouncing off Earth and falling on the Moon, which can illuminate regions that are otherwise hidden by our planet’s shadow. The Moon will pass 4° north of Mercury at 9 P.M. EDT this evening.
To the right of the Moon is 1st-magnitude Saturn, which will be harder to spot the lighter the sky becomes. Neptune also lies close to the Moon — in fact, our satellite passes 1.9° due north of Neptune at 6 A.M. EDT.
Sunrise: 6:07 A.M.
Sunset: 7:49 P.M.
Moonrise: 4:47 A.M.
Moonset: 5:32 P.M.
Moon Phase: Waning crescent (7%)
The phases of the Moon
The phases of the Moon are: New Moon, waxing crescent, First Quarter, waxing gibbous, Full Moon, waning gibbous, Last Quarter, and waning crescent. A cycle starting from one Full Moon to its next counterpart, termed the synodic month or lunar month, lasts about 29.5 days.
Though a Full Moon only occurs during the exact moment when Earth, Moon, and Sun form a perfect alignment, to our eyes, the Moon seems Full for around three days.
RELATED: 20 things to see on the Moon
Different names for different types of Full Moon
There are a wide variety of specialized names used to identify distinct types or timings of Full Moons. These names primarily trace back to a blend of cultural, agricultural, and natural observations about the Moon, aimed at allowing humans to not only predict seasonal changes, but also track the passage of time.
For instance, almost every month’s Full Moon boasts a name sourced from Native American, Colonial American, or other North American traditions, with their titles mirroring seasonal shifts and nature’s events.
Wolf Moon (January): Inspired by the cries of hungry wolves.
Snow Moon (February): A nod to the month’s often heavy snowfall.
Worm Moon (March): Named after the earthworms that signal thawing grounds.
Pink Moon (April): In honor of the blossoming pink wildflowers.
Flower Moon (May): Celebrating the bloom of flowers.
Strawberry Moon (June): Marks the prime strawberry harvest season.
Buck Moon (July): Recognizing the new antlers on bucks.
Sturgeon Moon (August): Named after the abundant sturgeon fish.
Corn Moon (September): Signifying the corn harvesting period.
Hunter’s Moon (October): Commemorating the hunting season preceding winter.
Beaver Moon (November): Reflects the time when beavers are busy building their winter dams.
Cold Moon (December): Evocative of winter’s chill.
In addition, there are a few additional names for Full Moons that commonly make their way into public conversations and news.
Super Moon: This term is reserved for a Full Moon that aligns with the lunar perigee, which is the Moon’s nearest point to Earth in its orbit. This proximity renders the Full Moon unusually large and luminous. For a Full Moon to earn the Super Moon tag, it should be within approximately 90 percent of its closest distance to Earth.
Blue Moon: A Blue Moon is the second Full Moon in a month that experiences two Full Moons. This phenomenon graces our skies roughly every 2.7 years. Though the term suggests a color, Blue Moons aren’t truly blue. Very occasionally, atmospheric conditions such as recent volcanic eruptions might lend the Moon a slightly blueish tint, but this hue isn’t tied to the term.
Harvest Moon: Occurring closest to the autumnal equinox, typically in September, the Harvest Moon is often renowned for a distinct orange tint it might display. This Full Moon rises close to sunset and sets near sunrise, providing extended hours of bright moonlight. Historically, this was invaluable to farmers gathering their produce.
Common questions about Full Moons
What is the difference between a Full Moon and a New Moon? A Full Moon is witnessed when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon, making the entire Moon’s face visible. Conversely, during a New Moon, the Moon lies between Earth and the Sun, shrouding its Earth-facing side in darkness.
How does the Full Moon influence tides? The Moon’s gravitational tug causes Earth’s waters to bulge, birthing tides. During both Full and New Moons, the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in alignment, generating “spring tides.” These tides can swing exceptionally high or low due to the combined gravitational influences of the Sun and Moon.
Here are the dates for all the lunar phases in 2025:
| New | First Quarter | Full | Last Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 6 | Jan. 13 | Jan. 21 | |
| Jan. 29 | Feb. 5 | Feb. 12 | Feb. 20 |
| Feb. 27 | March 6 | March 14 | March 22 |
| March 29 | April 4 | April 12 | April 20 |
| April 27 | May 4 | May 12 | May 20 |
| May 26 | June 2 | June 11 | June 18 |
| June 25 | July 2 | July 10 | July 17 |
| July 24 | Aug. 1 | Aug. 9 | Aug. 16 |
| Aug. 23 | Aug. 31 | Sept. 7 | Sept. 14 |
| Sept. 21 | Sept. 29 | Oct. 6 | Oct. 13 |
| Oct. 21 | Oct. 29 | Nov. 5 | Nov. 12 |
| Nov. 20 | Nov. 28 | Dec. 4 | Dec. 11 |
| Dec. 19 | Dec. 27 |
