History of Full moon in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: June 9, 2025

A full moon is a lunar phase occurring monthly when the Moon is fully illuminated as viewed from Earth. This happens when Earth is positioned between the Sun and the Moon, causing the entire near side of the Moon to be sunlit. During a full moon, the lunar hemisphere facing our planet appears as a complete, circular disk. This celestial event is a regular occurrence in the lunar cycle.

1918: The American Boy's Book of Signs, Signals and Symbols

In 1918, Daniel Carter Beard wrote in The American Boy's Book of Signs, Signals and Symbols about the varying names for the Indians' Moons in different parts of the country, reducing them to an average list of two names for each lunar month.

The American boys' book of signs, signals and symbols. By: Dan Beard. / Daniel Carter Beard / Illustrated

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1937: Maine Farmers' Almanac full moon names

In 1937, the Maine Farmers' Almanac published a list of full moon names, which it claimed were named by early English ancestors.

1955: The Farmer's Almanac

Since 1955, The Farmer's Almanac (published in Maine, but not the same publication as the Maine Farmers' Almanac) continues to print names of the full moon

1968: Feast of the Hunters' Moon festival start

In 1968, the Feast of the Hunters' Moon, a yearly festival, started in West Lafayette, Indiana, held in late September or early October each year.

1991: Last Harvest moon on the night of the equinox

Before 2010, the last time the harvest moon occurred on the night of the equinox was in 1991, after a period known as the Metonic cycle.

1992: Mysteries of the Moon

In 1992, Patricia Haddock's Mysteries of the Moon gave an extensive list of full moon names along with the tribal groups they were supposedly associated with.

Mysteries of the Moon: Opposing Viewpoints (Great Mysteries)

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1995: Moon Magick: Myth & Magick, Crafts & Recipes, Rituals & Spells

In 1995, Deanna J. Conway's Moon Magick: Myth & Magick, Crafts & Recipes, Rituals & Spells gave headline names for the lunar months, along with multiple alternative names for each month.

December 2000: Dog bite studies

In December 2000, the British Medical Journal published two studies about dog bite admissions to hospitals in England and Australia. One study found dog bites were twice as common during a full moon, while the other found they were less likely.

September 2007: High lunar standstill

Due to the high lunar standstill, the harvest and hunter's moons of September 2007 were special. The time difference between moonrises on successive evenings was much shorter than average, with the moon rising about 30 minutes later from one night to the next, as seen from about 40° N or S latitude.

2010: Harvest moon on the night of the equinox

In 2010, the harvest moon occurred on the night of the equinox itself, approximately 5 1/2 hours after the moment of equinox, for the first time since 1991.