The Harvest Moon rises this weekend! Here we'll give you key timings for the rise of the Harvest Moon across the world's major cities, plus some tips on how to make the most of it.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, 25–27 September 2026, the full Moon will rise in the sky shortly after sunset.
This is the Harvest Moon for the year because it's the closest full Moon to the September equinox.
What that means is that the rise times for the Moon are roughly the same time over the coming nights, which traditionally meant a reliable source of moonlight over consecutive evenings for gathering the harvest.
More on the Harvest Moon
If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon will rise in the eastern sky around sunset and track across the southern portion of the sky, before setting in the west around dawn the following morning.
If you're in the Southern Hemipshere, the Harvest Moon will again rise in the east around sunset, but then track across the northern portion of the sky, before setting in the west around dawn the following morning.
And if you observe the Harvest Moon on Saturday and Sunday, 26–27 September, you'll spot a bright 'star' close to the Moon.
That star is actually the planet Saturn, which is currently approaching opposition, the best time to see the planet.
If you want to see the Harvest Moon this weekend, here are some quick tips:
- The Harvest Moon rises in the east – get yourself a clear eastern horizon
- Look to the east just after sunset
- If you catch it coming above the horizon, it may look bigger and more orange than usual!
- Watch it track across the southern sky (if you're in the Northern Hemisphere) or northern sky (if you're in the Southern Hemisphere)
- If you're observing on Saturday or Sunday, 26–27 September, look out for planet Saturn near the Moon
- As it's the weekend, you might want to stay up to watch it set in the west before dawn
Harvest Moon 2026 – key rise times across the world
| Region | City | Rise time |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | London | 18: 26 BST |
| Edinburgh | 18: 37 BST | |
| Cardiff | 18:39 BST | |
| Dublin | 18:50 BST | |
| Belfast | 18: 49 BST | |
| Paris | 19:20 CET | |
| Berlin | 18: 33 CET | |
| Madrid | 19:49 CET | |
| Americas | New York | 18:35 EDT |
| Los Angeles | 18:40 PDT | |
| Toronto | 18:55 EDT | |
| Mexico City | 18:29 CST | |
| Sao Paulo | 18:12 BRT | |
| Buenos Aires | 19:06 ART | |
| Middle East / Asia | Dubai | 17:53 GST |
| New Delhi | 17:54 IST | |
| Tokyo | 17:07 JST | |
| Oceania | Sydney | 17:29 AEST |
| Auckland | 17:51 NZST | |
| Africa | Johannesburg | 18:02 SAST |
| Cairo | 18:31 EEST | |
| Nairobi | 18:18 EAT | |
| Yaoundé | 18:01 WAT |
Share your images, observations, sketches, drawings and poems about the Harvest Moon with us by emailing contactus@skyatnightmagazine.com
