Overview
- The Servicio de Hidrografía Naval published the August 2026 lunar dates on Friday, July 24, listing Aug. 5 as last quarter, Aug. 12 as new moon, Aug. 19 as first quarter, and Aug. 28 as full moon.
- The agency emphasizes that lunar phases are instantaneous moments set by the Earth‑Moon and Earth‑Sun directions forming angles of 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°, so phase timing is a precise geometric calculation rather than a span of days.
- August 2026 will register only four principal phase instants on the civil calendar, a pattern that can change month to month and explains why August 2025 recorded five phase instants.
- The August full moon is traditionally called the 'Sturgeon Moon' from North American Indigenous naming tied to seasonal sturgeon runs and harvest timing in the Great Lakes region.
- The calendar is used by astronomers, photographers and people who follow lunar customs, but media note that popular claims about moon effects on hair, mood or gardening lack scientific proof and visibility still depends on local weather and timing.