On Monday 6 October 2025, the Luxembourg night sky will be illuminated by what is commonly referred to in European and North American tradition as the “Hunter’s Moon”.
This particular full moon follows the “Harvest Moon” of September and historically marked the beginning of the hunting season when the light of the moon allowed communities to track and secure food in preparation for winter. Its agricultural importance arose because of its proximity to the autumn equinox, which this year occurred on Monday 22 September 2025.
Unlike other full moons, the Hunter’s Moon rises soon after sunset for several consecutive nights, casting bright, extended light across the land. Before the advent of electricity, this natural illumination was invaluable to farmers and hunters alike, enabling them to extend their work into the night.
Culturally, the Hunter’s Moon has been celebrated by numerous historical groups. In Celtic tradition, it was linked to rituals of transition, as communities prepared for the darker half of the year. In East Asia, it coincided with harvest festivals where the moon was honoured for its beauty and its role in sustaining crops. Native American tribes also developed distinctive names for this full moon, often tied to seasonal cycles of gathering and survival.
Native American tribes are also the source of the tradition of naming each full moon. As they did not utilise a system of measuring time, such as the Julian or Gregorian calendars, they kept track of time by observing seasonal changes and lunar cycles. This trend was observed by colonial explorer Jonathan Carver in the late 1700s as he travelled across the United Colonies from 1766 to 1768. In 1778, two years after the Declaration of Independence was signed and the United States of America was established, Carver published the account of his expedition entitled, Travels through America in the Years 1766, 1767 and 1768. In this he documented how the native Americans named each full moon as a reference to a particular aspect of seasonal change.
Astronomically, October’s Hunter’s Moon will appear particularly bright in comparison to other full moons during the year. Its position relative to the Earth and Sun ensures longer-lasting brightness at both moonrise and moonset. While it will not be classed as a “supermoon” - where a full moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth - it will still appear prominent as it ascends and descends the horizon.
The Hunter’s Moon will be followed by the “Beaver Moon” in November and the final full moon of 2025, the “Cold Moon”, in December.
SM
