October's full moon will peak the weekend before Halloween for an added eeriness to the end of the month.

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October's Full Moon

October is finally here, and it's my favorite month of the year.  It's the time when the weather gets a little cooler, leaves on trees start changing colors, and everything gets a little spooky as we all gear up for Halloween (which happens to be my favorite).  There's just always something a little special and eerie about October's full moon. So when is October's full moon?

The Full Hunter's Moon

The Hunter's Full Moon is the full moon that occurs after the Harvest Moon. This year the Harvest Moon took place just after the Autumnal Equinox which means this year it was the first official full moon of fall.   The second full moon of Fall this year is the Hunter's Moon is sometimes referred to as the Sanguine Moon, or Blood Moon as well.

The Farmer's Almanac explains the reason this moon is referred to as the Hunter's Moon is because it comes during the time of year that Native American tribes would begin storing meat and food for the winter ahead.

The Farmer's Almanac goes on to explain:

Because the fields were traditionally reaped in late September or early October, hunters could easily see fox and other animals that come out to glean from the fallen grains. Probably because of the threat of winter looming close, the Hunter’s Moon is generally accorded with special honor, historically serving as an important feast day in both Western Europe and among many Native American tribes.

 

When to see the Full Hunter's Moon

If you want to catch the full Hunter's Moon, you'll need to check out the night sky on October 28th.  With the full moon occurring just a few days before Halloween, it also means we should have a fairly bright Halloween evening for trick or treating!