The 2024 New Moon Calendar: Exact Dates, Names, and More!

In 2024, skywatchers can expect not 12, but 13 new Moons, starting with the first, the January new Moon, on January 11. What is a new Moon? Many people are familiar with a full moon, which is the lunar phase when the Earth is located directly between the Sun and the Moon. This gives the Moon an illuminated appearance and the entire face of the planet is visible from Earth. In contrast, a new Moon is when the Moon is located between the Sun and the Earth. This appears to viewers on Earth as completely non-illuminated, blending into the dark night sky. When the Moon perfectly aligns to block the Sun from the Earth, we call that a solar eclipse. 

There is a full Moon roughly every month of the year. However, because of the timing of 2024’s new moons, there are 13 new moons in the calendar year. Each has their own name too! This article outlines the dates of the 13 new Moons in 2024 and shares times when you can get your best glimpse of this unique period in the lunar cycle. Mark your calendars now!

Overview of the 2024 New Moon Calendar

About the Native Names for the New Moons

For each of the 13 new Moons named above, there is a nickname – the Native name for the new Moon of that period. These new Moon names are rooted in the traditions of indigenous peoples in North America, who acknowledged the changing seasons and held a deep reverence for the natural world. Recognizing the Moon’s cycle was part of marking time and seeing the connections between human life, Earthly seasons, and a cosmic reality. 

With such diversity of Native, or indigenous, peoples across the North American continent came a vast number of different names for each full Moon. Each name reflects the unique attributes and culture of the tribe and its language. Typically, the names come from major activities or qualities of the season of that new Moon. For some, remembering the names of the Moons still bears deep spiritual or cultural significance. 

As you read the names for each new Moon, what do you see reflected about the pattern of the seasons, the realities of nature, and the traditional practices of Native peoples?

The New Moons of 2024

January: New Wolf Moon

The first new Moon of 2024 will be on January 11. It will be a winter new Moon and references one of the important mammal species that once roamed widely across North America. Wolves are also culturally significant for many Native tribes.

February: New Snow Moon

The second new Moon of 2024 will be on February 9 and is the last Moon of the winter season. The name of this Moon refers quite directly to the snow that often blankets the ground during the dead of winter.

March: New Worm Moon

The third new Moon of 2024 will be on March 10. The Full Worm Moon will be the first new Moon of the spring season. According to Native tradition, this new Moon was named after the worm trails that would appear in the hard, thawing ground.

April: New Pink Moon

The fourth new Moon of 2024 will be on April 8. This will be the second new Moon of the spring season. Some Native tribes named this Moon after a species of early-spring blooming wildflower.

May: New Flower Moon

The fifth new Moon of 2024 will be on May 7. The new Flower Moon will be the last new Moon of the spring. This name references the new growth and life that appears each spring.

June: New Strawberry Moon

The sixth new Moon of 2024 will be on June 6. This will be the first new Moon of the summer season. In North America, the first strawberries become ripe for harvesting.

July: New Buck Moon

The seventh new Moon of 2024 will be on July 5. It will be the second new Moon of the summer. This moon references the shedding of antlers that takes place among herds of deer in July.

August: New Sturgeon Moon

The eighth new Moon of 2024 will be on August 4 and will be the third new Moon in the summer. The sturgeon is said to be North America’s largest fish.

In August, the full Moon will also be the first of four supermoons in 2024.  “Supermoon” is a term that astrologers created in the 1970s to describe a phase when the full Moon occurs at the same time that the Moon’s elliptical orbit brings it to its closest point to Earth. This is called the Moon’s “perigee.” When the full Moon and perigee coincide, the Moon may look even brighter than usual – though this difference is hard for the average night sky viewer to pick up.

September: New Harvest Moon

The ninth new Moon of 2024 will be on September 2. The Harvest Moon will be the fourth Moon of Summer. Each year, harvest season marks a transitional period from summer to fall in preparation for the winter.

September will also bring the second full supermoon in 2024. This year, there will also be a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse at the same time as the September full Moon. A Penumbral Lunar Eclipse is when the Moon moves through a region of the Earth’s shadow known as its “penumbra.” The penumbra falls on the Moon’s face. A total penumbral eclipse occurs when the Moon is completely within the pale shadow. Total penumbral eclipses are rare – occurring unevenly and usually only a few times per century.

October: New Hunter’s Moon

The tenth new Moon of 2024 will be on October 2. The New Hunter’s Moon is the first new Moon in the autumn season. October also has the third full super Moon in 2024. 

The October full Moon will also be the closest full Moon of 2024 – meaning that the Moon’s orbit will draw closest to the Earth of any month.

November: New Beaver Moon

The eleventh new Moon of 2024 will be on November 1. The new Beaver Moon is the second autumn Moon. Later that month, November 15th will be the last of the full super Moons in 2024. There is disagreement about the origin of this name, but some believe it dates back to Native hunters and trappers who caught beavers in traps.

December: New Cold Moon & New Wolf Moon

The twelfth new Moon of 2024 will be on December 1. It is the third full Moon of autumn. However, it is not the last Moon of 2024! This year, there are 13 new Moons. The last of the year will be on December 30, with the arrival of the new Wolf Moon. On the occasions when there are two new Moons in the same month, the second is called a “black Moon.”

2024 Equinoxes and Solstices

Check out the chart below for the dates and times of 2024’s equinoxes and solstices.

Looking Forward to the 2024 New Moons

Throughout human history, the Moons have played an important role in cultures and religions around the world. Today, astrologers and astronomers alike study the Moon. Even in the 21st century, scientists are still learning new information about the Moon, how it interacts with phenomena on Earth, and discovering strange facts about outer space. With the full Moon calendar giving you date, time, and traditional names of new and full Moons in 2024, you’re prepared to participate in the time-honored tradition of searching the night sky for the Moon.

What About The Other Moon Phases?

While full Moons are exciting, tracking the other lunar phases can be just as fun and interesting. Do you know about the other Moon phases? If not, try learning all about the Moon phases: what they are and how they could mean for you!