A new year is here and things are looking up! The sky is set to be aglow in the Southern Hemisphere in 2024 with 12 glorious and glowy full moons, plus two extra shiny supermoons.
Here at Time Out Sydney, we’re the experts on what’s happening on the ground, including everything to see and do in and around the city, and where to eat and drink. But, we’re also clued-in as to what’s happening upstairs in that dark, mystical sky of ours. If you slept through last year’s rare blue supermoon, then mark your celestial calendars with these magical full moon dates.
When is the next full moon?
The first full moon of 2024, known as the full wolf moon, occurred on January 26 at 4.54am. This monthly event happens when the moon and sun are aligned on opposite sides of Earth, meaning that 100 per cent of the moon’s face is illuminated by the sun, making it appear extra big and luminescent in the sky. The snow moon occurred on February 24 at 11.30pm, and tonight we'll see the worm moon appear full at exactly 6pm AEDT. This coming full moon symbolises a spiritual awakening, in line with the start of spring in the northern hemisphere. Tonight's moon also coincides with a penumbral lunar eclipse, which will peak in the Sydney sky at 7.03pm tonight (Monday, March 25) – appearing as a partial darkening of the moon as visible from Sydney.
Here are the remaining full moons of 2024 (according to timeanddate):
- March 25, 6.00pm – worm moon
- April 24, 9.48am – pink moon
- May 23, 11.53pm – flower moon
- June 22, 11.07am – strawberry moon
- July 21, 8.17pm – buck moon
- August 20, 4.25am – sturgeon moon
- September 18, 12.34pm – harvest moon
- October 17, 10.26pm – Hunter’s moon
- November 16, 8.28am – beaver moon
- December 15, 8.01pm – cold moon
For anyone outside of Sydney, make sure to check the exact moonrise and moonset for your specific location.
Why do all of the full moons have different names?
Each of the 12 full moons has its own special name, which was created by Native American tribes to keep track of the seasons. These poetic names were based on the behaviour of the plants, animals or weather patterns during that particular month.
How to see the full moon in Sydney?
You won’t need a telescope to take in the full grandeur of the full moon. So long as there are clear skies, you should easily be able to see it with the naked eye by simply looking up. If you want to see it in more detail, you can also use a telescope or binoculars.
When it comes to fully appreciating the full moon, the darker the area you're in, the better. You can find our top spots in this handy guide to the best stargazing spots near Sydney.
What is a supermoon and when is the next supermoon in Sydney?
A full moon gets upgraded to supermoon status when it’s at the closest point to Earth during its orbit. EarthSky predicts that there will be two supermoons in 2024 including on:
- September 18, 12.36pm – harvest moon
- October 17, 10.27pm – Hunter’s moon
If you're hoping to capture these moon memories forever, then you'll want to check out these top tips from professional photographer Sean Scott. Just make sure to take all the magic in IRL too.