Moon Phases October 2020
The full moon in October 2020 is on 1 October at 21:05 UTC — traditionally called the Harvest Moon. The new moon falls on 16 October at 19:30 UTC. October 2020 holds a second full moon on 31 October at 14:49 UTC — a Blue Moon. Times are UTC.
Why the October 2020 full moon is called the Harvest Moon
The full moon falling nearest the September equinox — it rises unusually soon after sunset for several nights running, which once let farmers work late.
These are the traditional Colonial and Native American names popularised by the farmers’ almanacs. They are folklore, not astronomy — the phase dates and times on this page are computed and verifiable, the names are naming convention.
Moon phase day by day
| Day | Phase | Illumination |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Full Moon | 100% |
| 2 | Full Moon | 99% |
| 3 | Full Moon | 97% |
| 4 | Waning Gibbous | 94% |
| 5 | Waning Gibbous | 88% |
| 6 | Waning Gibbous | 82% |
| 7 | Waning Gibbous | 74% |
| 8 | Last Quarter | 65% |
| 9 | Last Quarter | 55% |
| 10 | Last Quarter | 45% |
| 11 | Last Quarter | 35% |
| 12 | Waning Crescent | 25% |
| 13 | Waning Crescent | 16% |
| 14 | Waning Crescent | 8% |
| 15 | New Moon | 3% |
| 16 | New Moon | 0% |
| 17 | New Moon | 1% |
| 18 | Waxing Crescent | 5% |
| 19 | Waxing Crescent | 11% |
| 20 | Waxing Crescent | 19% |
| 21 | Waxing Crescent | 29% |
| 22 | First Quarter | 39% |
| 23 | First Quarter | 50% |
| 24 | First Quarter | 60% |
| 25 | Waxing Gibbous | 70% |
| 26 | Waxing Gibbous | 78% |
| 27 | Waxing Gibbous | 86% |
| 28 | Waxing Gibbous | 92% |
| 29 | Waxing Gibbous | 96% |
| 30 | Full Moon | 99% |
| 31 | Full Moon | 100% |
Illumination at noon (UTC) for each day.
Frequently asked questions
When is the full moon in October 2020?
The full moon in October 2020 is on 1 October at 21:05 UTC, traditionally called the Harvest Moon.
What time is the full moon in October 2020?
The moon reaches full phase at 21:05 UTC on 1 October. It looks full to the naked eye for about a day either side of that instant, so the nights before and after are both worth watching.
Why is the October 2020 full moon called the Harvest Moon?
The full moon falling nearest the September equinox — it rises unusually soon after sunset for several nights running, which once let farmers work late. These names come from Colonial and Native American tradition and were popularised by the farmers' almanacs — they are naming convention rather than astronomy, while the phase dates and times on this page are computed and verifiable.
When is the new moon in October 2020?
The new moon in October 2020 is on 16 October at 19:30 UTC.
Is there a Blue Moon in October 2020?
Yes. October 2020 holds two full moons — the second, on 31 October at 14:49 UTC, is a Blue Moon under the common "second full moon in a calendar month" definition. It is not actually blue.