Full moon

The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180°).^[3] This means that the lunar hemisphere facing Earth—the near side—is completely sunlit and appears as an approximately circular disk. The full moon occurs roughly once a month.

The time interval between a full moon and the next repetition of the same phase, a synodic month, averages about 29.53 days. Because of irregularities in the moon's orbit, the new and full moons may fall up to thirteen hours either side of their mean. If the calendar date is not locally determined through observation of the new moon at the beginning of the month there is the potential for a further twelve hours difference depending on the time zone. Potential discrepancies also arise from whether the calendar day is considered to begin in the evening or at midnight. It is normal for the full moon to fall on the fourteenth or the fifteenth of the month according to whether the start of the month is reckoned from the appearance of the new moon or from the conjunction.^[4]

Culturally and spiritually significant across many societies, full moons are associated with festivals such as Vesak in Buddhism and various Purnima observances in Hinduism. Many traditions have named specific full moons—like the harvest moon or hunter's moon—and linked them to seasonal or agricultural events. Folklore has associated full moons with insomnia, madness, and supernatural events, though scientific studies have not found consistent evidence of behavioral effects. In modern times, terms like “blood moon” and “blue moon” have entered popular use, often referring to lunar eclipses or rare lunar events.

A tabular lunar calendar will also exhibit variations depending on the intercalation system used. Because a calendar month consists of a whole number of days, a month in a lunar calendar may be either 29 or 30 days long.