Today Moon Phase: May 20, 2026No major moon phase on this date
Moon phases
Lunar Calendar 2026
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Moon Phases Australia 2026 — Complete Monthly Lunar Calendar
In 2026 there are 12 full moons, 12 new moons, and 24 quarter-moon transitions visible from Australia. This guide covers every moon phase in Australia 2026, month by month, so you can plan around full moon dates, new moon windows, and the waxing and waning cycles that govern tides, gardening, and stargazing across the country.
The moon cycle runs approximately 29.5 days, meaning the phase dates shift slightly each month. Because Australia sits in the Southern Hemisphere, the illuminated face of the moon appears to grow from left to right — the reverse of what observers in the Northern Hemisphere see — a detail worth keeping in mind when you use any international moon phase chart or app.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - January 2026
Day Date Moon phase 3 January 3, 2026 Full Moon 10 January 10, 2026 Last Quarter 18 January 18, 2026 New Moon 26 January 26, 2026 First Quarter
Check the January 2026 Australia calendar for public holidays and key dates alongside the lunar schedule.
January opens 2026 with a moon cycle already in progress. The month delivers a full moon that lights up summer nights across Australia, followed by the waning gibbous phase through the second and third weeks. Gardeners in Queensland and New South Wales traditionally use the waning moon period for pruning and harvesting root crops. The Bureau of Meteorology notes that summer full moons in southern latitudes ride low on the horizon, extending twilight well into the evening hours.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - February 2026
Day Date Moon phase 1 February 1, 2026 Full Moon 9 February 9, 2026 Last Quarter 17 February 17, 2026 New Moon 24 February 24, 2026 First Quarter
See the February 2026 Australia calendar for the complete monthly overview including public holidays.
February is the shortest month, which means it is possible — though rare — for the full moon to fall outside the calendar window entirely, leaving February with no full moon. In 2026 the lunar phases distribute normally across the 28-day period. The new moon that falls in February represents the best window of the month for deep-sky observation from dark-sky sites such as Warrumbungle National Park or the Flinders Ranges, where the Milky Way core begins to rise again in the pre-dawn sky toward the end of summer.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - March 2026
Day Date Moon phase 3 March 3, 2026 Full Moon 11 March 11, 2026 Last Quarter 19 March 19, 2026 New Moon 25 March 25, 2026 First Quarter
The March 2026 Australia calendar shows Canberra Day and other state observances alongside the lunar schedule.
March marks the transition from summer to autumn across most of Australia. The autumn full moon rises earlier in the evening than its summer counterpart, making moonrise easier to observe and photograph from coastal vantage points. Fishermen across the Northern Territory and Western Australia time barramundi and bream runs to the days surrounding the full moon and new moon, when tidal movement is strongest. The waxing crescent that appears in the western sky after sunset in mid-March is a reliable sign the season is turning.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - April 2026
Day Date Moon phase 2 April 2, 2026 Full Moon 10 April 10, 2026 Last Quarter 17 April 17, 2026 New Moon 24 April 24, 2026 First Quarter
Plan your Easter and Anzac Day long weekends with the April 2026 Australia calendar.
April is one of the most significant months in the Australian lunar calendar because Easter Sunday is calculated from the first full moon after the March equinox — meaning the April moon phase directly determines the date of Easter and the long weekend that follows. Anzac Day on 25 April also falls within the same period, so April frequently delivers back-to-back public holidays shaped by the lunar cycle. The waning moon of late April brings cooler, clearer nights ideal for stargazing in inland regions.
Moon phases
Lunar Calendar - May 2026
| Day | Date | Moon phase |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 1, 2026 | Full Moon |
| 9 | May 9, 2026 | Last Quarter |
| 16 | May 16, 2026 | New Moon |
| 23 | May 23, 2026 | First Quarter |
| 31 | May 31, 2026 | Full Moon |
Check the May 2026 Australia calendar for state-by-state public holidays and the Queen’s Birthday weekend dates.
May delivers some of the best conditions for moon watching in Australia. Autumn nights are long and often stable, and the full moon in May — historically called the Flower Moon in the Northern Hemisphere but not carrying an official name in Australian Indigenous traditions, which vary by Country and language group — rises high in the northern sky from an Australian perspective. The Sydney Observatory and Melbourne Planetarium both run public moon-viewing nights around the full moon in May. The new moon period is the optimal window for meteor shower observation, and the Eta Aquariids peak in early May each year, making a dark new-moon sky particularly valuable.
June 2026 — Moon Phases
See the June 2026 Australia calendar for the Queen’s Birthday public holiday and NAIDOC Week dates. Moon phases
Lunar Calendar - June 2026
Day Date Moon phase 8 June 8, 2026 Last Quarter 15 June 15, 2026 New Moon 21 June 21, 2026 First Quarter 29 June 29, 2026 Full Moon
June brings the winter solstice and the longest nights of the year to southern Australia, creating the best conditions of 2026 for extended moon observation. The full moon in June rides higher in the northern sky than at any other time of year when viewed from Sydney, Melbourne, or Perth, and it remains visible for more than 12 hours on the night of peak illumination. NAIDOC Week, which falls in early July but is often celebrated in late June, connects many communities to lunar and seasonal knowledge systems that have guided Australian First Nations peoples for tens of thousands of years. The Astronomical Society of Australia publishes a detailed lunar ephemeris each year that covers rise and set times for all Australian capital cities.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - July 2026
Day Date Moon phase 7 July 7, 2026 Last Quarter 14 July 14, 2026 New Moon 21 July 21, 2026 First Quarter 29 July 29, 2026 Full Moon
July is peak winter across southern Australia, and clear, frosty nights mean exceptional lunar visibility. The waxing gibbous phase in mid-July casts enough light to illuminate snow on the Snowy Mountains and the Victorian Alps, a spectacle that draws photographers from across the country. Surfers and swimmers along the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast use the lunar tide chart published monthly by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to time dawn and dusk sessions around favourable tidal windows. July’s new moon falls during school holiday period in most states, offering a rare opportunity for family stargazing in areas away from city light pollution.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - August 2026
Day Date Moon phase 6 August 6, 2026 Last Quarter 12 August 12, 2026 New Moon 20 August 20, 2026 First Quarter 28 August 28, 2026 Full Moon
August signals the end of winter and the return of warmer evenings in northern Australia. The full moon in August — sometimes called the Sturgeon Moon in Northern Hemisphere traditions — arrives as wildflowers begin to carpet the Western Australian wheat belt, with Kings Park in Perth hosting its annual Wildflower Festival around this period. Farmers across New South Wales and Victoria use the waxing moon phase of August to guide spring sowing schedules, a practice supported by research from institutions including the CSIRO into plant growth responses to light cycles. The waning crescent of late August is ideal for observing the Southern Cross and Magellanic Clouds in a dark sky before the moon rises.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - September 2026
Day Date Moon phase 4 September 4, 2026 Last Quarter 11 September 11, 2026 New Moon 18 September 18, 2026 First Quarter 26 September 26, 2026 Full Moon
September brings the spring equinox and rapidly lengthening days to the south of the country. The full moon closest to the spring equinox is known in many cultures as the Harvest Moon, though in Australia — where September falls in spring rather than autumn — the seasonal association differs from the Northern Hemisphere tradition. The moon rises at nearly the same time for several nights in a row around the equinox full moon, which historically gave farmers extended evening light to continue harvesting. The Geelong Racing Club and other spring carnival venues publish tide and moon phase data to assist with outdoor event planning. September’s new moon brings some of the darkest skies of the spring season for amateur astronomers.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - October 2026
Day Date Moon phase 3 October 3, 2026 Last Quarter 10 October 10, 2026 New Moon 18 October 18, 2026 First Quarter 26 October 26, 2026 Full Moon
Check the October 2026 Australia calendar for the Labour Day holiday dates by state.
October is spring in full swing across Australia, and the moon phases of October 2026 unfold against a backdrop of warming nights and extended daylight. The full moon in October creates dramatic coastal scenery as it reflects across the calm waters of Sydney Harbour, Moreton Bay, and Port Phillip Bay. Saltwater fly fishing guides in the Northern Territory and northern Queensland schedule estuary sessions around the full moon and new moon tides, when predatory fish are most active in the shallows. The waxing crescent phase of mid-October is a favourite subject for astrophotographers using the wide open skies above the Outback, particularly around Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which carries dark-sky credentials that rival the best sites anywhere in the world.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - November 2026
Day Date Moon phase 1 November 1, 2026 Last Quarter 9 November 9, 2026 New Moon 17 November 17, 2026 First Quarter 24 November 24, 2026 Full Moon
November hosts one of Australia’s most iconic public holidays: Melbourne Cup Day on the first Tuesday of the month. The lunar phase on Cup Day varies each year, but the full moon that falls in November frequently coincides with the spring racing carnival, lifting spirits and brightening late-evening celebrations. The Leonid meteor shower peaks in mid-November each year, and the new moon period of November 2026 falls close enough to the peak to deliver excellent viewing conditions from dark-sky locations in rural Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. The current moon phase for any given night in November can be checked in real time using resources from the Sydney Observatory, which also runs twilight observation sessions open to the public.
Moon phasesLunar Calendar - December 2026
Day Date Moon phase 1 December 1, 2026 Last Quarter 9 December 9, 2026 New Moon 17 December 17, 2026 First Quarter 24 December 24, 2026 Full Moon 30 December 30, 2026 Last Quarter
See the December 2026 Australia calendar for Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Eve public holiday information.
December closes 2026 with the summer solstice and the longest days of the year in southern Australia. The full moon of December rises at dusk and sets at dawn — a full moonlit night — and it illuminates the iconic Australian summer setting of outdoor concerts, beach barbecues, and New Year’s Eve celebrations from Broome to Byron Bay. The Geminid meteor shower peaks in mid-December each year, and on years when the new moon falls close to the peak, the dark skies reward observers with impressive rates above 100 meteors per hour. Boxing Day marks the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and race organisers rely heavily on tide and moon phase data from the Bureau of Meteorology for weather routing decisions. The final moon cycle of 2026 carries Australia into the new year with the same rhythm the moon has kept for billions of years.
Understanding Moon Phases in the Southern Hemisphere
The moon cycle Australia observers experience is identical in timing to every other part of the world — the lunar cycle of roughly 29.5 days is a global constant. What differs is the orientation of the illuminated face. In the Southern Hemisphere the crescent appears to grow from right to left (as seen on apps designed for Northern Hemisphere users) and the terminator — the boundary between light and dark — is oriented differently.
This has practical implications for anyone using a Northern Hemisphere lunar calendar to plan activities in Australia. The moon phase calendar on this page uses the en-AU locale to ensure rise times, set times, and illumination data are calculated for the correct hemisphere. The eight principal phases — new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent — occur at the same moment worldwide, but the visual appearance as seen from Australian latitudes is a mirror image of the Northern Hemisphere view.
The lunar phase cycle also governs tides, which are particularly important in Australia. The country has some of the most extreme tidal ranges in the world, with Broome in Western Australia recording a tidal range of up to 9 metres during spring tides, which occur at the new moon and full moon each month.
Moon Phases and Australian Indigenous Knowledge
Australia’s First Nations peoples have maintained detailed knowledge of the lunar cycle for at least 65,000 years. Different language groups across the continent have their own names for moon phases and their own calendars that integrate lunar, solar, and seasonal cycles into a unified system for managing Country. The Yolngu people of Arnhem Land, for example, use a sophisticated lunar calendar that tracks the moon’s relationship to tidal flows and fish movements in precise detail.
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies maintains resources on Indigenous astronomical knowledge, including documentation of lunar calendars from different regions of the country. Respecting the diversity of these knowledge systems means acknowledging that the Western eight-phase model is just one way of understanding the moon cycle that Australia’s oldest cultures have charted far longer than any European framework.
FAQ — Moon Phases Australia 2026
How many full moons are there in Australia in 2026?
There are 12 full moons in Australia in 2026, one per month. The dates fall at the same moment globally, though local time of moonrise and moonset varies by city and state.
What is the moon phase tonight in Australia?
The moon phase tonight in Australia can be checked using the interactive lunar calendar tables on this page, which use the en-AU locale and calculate illumination for the Australian Southern Hemisphere perspective. Alternatively, the Bureau of Meteorology website provides current moon rise and set times for all Australian capital cities.
How is the moon phase different in Australia compared to the Northern Hemisphere?
The timing of each moon phase — new moon, full moon, quarter moons — is identical worldwide. The difference for Australian observers is in the visual orientation: the illuminated portion of the moon appears to grow from right to left during the waxing phases, the opposite of what Northern Hemisphere users see. Apps and calendars calibrated for en-AU correctly reflect this orientation.
When is the next full moon in Australia?
The next full moon in Australia occurs at the same moment as the next full moon anywhere else on Earth. The exact date and time depends on the current month. Use the monthly lunar phase tables on this page to find the full moon date for each month of 2026.
Do moon phases affect tides in Australia?
Yes. Spring tides — the highest high tides and lowest low tides — occur at the new moon and full moon each month, when the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned. Neap tides — smaller tidal ranges — occur at the first and third quarter moons. In locations like Broome, Darwin, and parts of the Gulf of Carpentaria, the difference between spring and neap tides can be several metres, making the lunar phase calendar critical for boating, fishing, and coastal access planning.
What is the best moon phase for fishing in Australia?
Many experienced anglers in Australia target the full moon and new moon periods for estuary and offshore fishing, when tidal flows are strongest and pelagic fish are most active. The solunar theory, popularised by fisherman John Alden Knight, identifies the days around full moon and new moon — and the hours of moonrise and moonset — as the peak activity windows for fish and wildlife. The Australian Fishing Network provides monthly solunar tables calibrated for Australian waters.
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