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October's Hunter's Moon illuminates skies across the globe

October's Hunter's Moon created a spectacular global display, visible from San Francisco to Baghdad. The full Moon's extended visibility in the sky, similar to the preceding Harvest Moon, provided hunters with additional evening light—a tradition reflected in its enduring name.

By The UK Pulse Editorial Team·Source: BBC News··3 min read·How we work
A large, glowing white moon is rising through blue cloud as a plane flies. The plane is at the top of the moon and the sky is a dark blue behind it.

The October full Moon created a spectacular display across the world this past weekend, with observers from North America to the Middle East capturing striking images of the celestial event. According to BBC News, the phenomenon drew particular attention from photographers positioned at vantage points ranging from aircraft over San Francisco Bay to historic landmarks in Istanbul and Baghdad.

Full Moons throughout the year carry traditional names that reflect seasonal natural phenomena. October's full Moon is known by several designations, with the Hunter's Moon being the most prominent name in the Northern Hemisphere, rooted in historical hunting practices and seasonal cycles.

The Hunter's Moon possesses a distinctive characteristic that sets it apart from many other lunar events: it remains visible in the sky for an extended period, much like the preceding Harvest Moon. This prolonged visibility provided hunters with additional light during evening hours, a practical advantage that inspired the Moon's enduring name.

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The lunar display was visible from diverse locations worldwide. Observers in Stoney Middleton, Derbyshire captured the Moon rising over the English countryside, while photographers in Manhattan documented the celestial body ascending behind the city's midtown skyline. The phenomenon was equally striking from international vantage points, with images recorded from Kimmeridge in Dorset, Felixstowe in Suffolk, Istanbul's Galata Tower, Baghdad's Firdous Square, and San Francisco's waterfront.

A very large moon over a tree and shrub.
The Hunter's Moon over Stoney Middleton in Derbyshire, UK

The Moon frequently takes on distinctive orange and reddish tones when positioned low on the horizon. This colour shift occurs due to the scattering of shorter wavelength blue light as moonlight travels through a greater depth of the Earth's atmosphere. This effect was particularly pronounced as the Hunter's Moon rose behind the Basilica of the Madonna dei Martiri in Molfetta, Italy, creating a warm, amber-coloured appearance against the architectural backdrop.

The full moon rises in an a dusty-yellow and blue sky over the city skyline, which includes New York City's Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building.
An autumn glow as the Hunter's Moon rises behind the skyline of midtown Manhattan in New York City, US
A huge yellow moon rising behind a church with a gold cross at the top of it.
The Moon can take on an orange or reddish hue when it is low in the sky due to the scattering of short wavelength blue light as it passes through a large depth of the atmosphere, as shown here as it rises behind the Basilica of the Madonna dei Martiri in Molfetta, Italy

The Hunter's Moon follows the Harvest Moon, which illuminated UK skies on 27 September 2026, reaching its peak at 17:49 BST with dramatic views emerging after darkness fell. The succession of these two prominent full Moons creates a period of extended evening illumination during the autumn months in the Northern Hemisphere.

A huge cream-coloured moon rises over a hilltop with fields and houses in the foreground. It is dusk and the sky is light blue.
A view of the moon from Kimmeridge in Dorset, UK
A large orange full moon in the night sky glows over a coned-top tower. There are lights on in the tower's arches and the Turkish red and white flag is next to it.
The full moon glowing a beautiful burnt orange over the Galata Tower in Istanbul, Turkey
A large, glowing yellow moon sits above a metal round structure with lights on it. The moon looks like it's going to sink down into the structure - like a basketball heading into a net.
A clear view of the Moon in Felixstowe, Suffolk
The full moon looking small in the sky compared to the large dome of 17 Ramadan Mosque which has colourful and intricate patterns on it.
Moonrise in Baghdad's Firdous Square, Iraq
San Francisco's sky scraper lights and the lights of a bridge look dim compared to the powerful light of the full moon in the cloudy sky above them.
The Hunter's Moon setting in San Francisco, California, US
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