Lunistices 2026

Lunistices are the most northerly and southerly moons of the month. They are the lunar equivalent of solstices. There is clear evidence that our prehistoric ancestors observed the rising and setting positions of the lunistices. They did this because these positions vary cyclically with an 18.6 year period and understanding this lunistice cycle is an aid to predicting eclipses. This methodology of measuring north / south movement against the horizon is known as tropical astronomy.

North and south lunistices are about 14 days apart and their lunar phase is different every time. When a lunistice is at or close to new moon it cannot be seen. When a lunistice is at or close to full moon it may be seen both rising and setting. Otherwise, wax­ing lunistices may only be observed setting while wan­ing lunistices can only be observed rising

The table below lists the time of the instant that the moon is at the astronomical lunistice point. Meaningful observation of a lunistice must be done at the nearest rise or set (as appropriate) to this time.

It may be informative to observe events both before and after the astronomical time, rather than just the apparent closest. Weather permitting of course.

Astronomical UTC/GMT Times of Lunistices for 2026

Date / Time	Phase	State	0° Sign	Observe	Quad­rant
Jan 02 13:10	Almost full	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Jan 16 11:48	Thin crescent	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Jan 29 22:33	Gibbous	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Feb 12 19:45	Crescent	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Feb 26 23:10	Gibbous	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Mar 12 04:08	Fat crescent	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Mar 25 10:34	Last Quarterish	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Apr 08 12:05	Gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Apr 21 17:01	Crescent	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
May 05 19:07	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
May 19 01:47	V thin crescent	wax­ing	Cancer	Set / NV	NW
Jun 02 01:20	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Jun 02 01:20	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Jun 15 12:15	New	wax­ing	Cancer	Not Visible	Not Visible
Jun 29 07:20	Full	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Jun 29 07:20	Full	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Rise	SE
Jul 12 22:48	V thin crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise / NV	NE
Jul 26 13:45	V fat gibbous	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Aug 09 07:47	Crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Aug 22 21:00	Gibbous	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Sep 05 14:31	Fat crescent	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Sep 19 04:56	First Quarter	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Oct 02 19:55	Gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Oct 16 12:58	Crescent	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Oct 30 02:07	Gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Nov 12 20:28	Thin crescent	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Set	SW
Nov 26 10:52	V fat gibbous	wan­ing	Cancer	Rise	NE
Dec 10 03:10	New	wax­ing	Capri­corn	Not Visible	Not Visible
Dec 23 21:59	V fat gibbous	wax­ing	Cancer	Set	NW
Dec 23 21:59	V fat gibbous	wax­ing	Cancer	Rise / NV	NE

This year, a total lunar eclipse occurs on the full moon of March 3rd with a partial lunar eclipse on August 28th. There is also an annular solar eclipse on February 17th at 12:13. Eclipses on the full moons closest to the equinoxes are indicative of proximity to the peak of the major (or minor) standstill season, and vice versa of course, but this particular sequence indicates that we have left the standstill season and are now on our way towards eclipses around the cross-quarters.

Due to changes in the obliquity of the ecliptic The Obliquity of the Ecliptic (tilt of the earth's axis) wobbles with a period of c.25,800 years ±1.2° around 23.1°. Throughout the neolithic it was not far from the maximum and rate of change was slow but now we are rapidly approaching the centre of the oscillation., lunistice positions now fall short of their prehistoric positions by approximately half a degree of declination The angular distance of a celestial object North or South of the celestial equator. Reckoned positive when North and negative when South, the declination of a celestial object is exactly equivalent to the latitude at which it would be seen to pass vertically overhead. [Diagram], rather more in terms of azimuth.

As a very approximate observational rule of thumb:

• North lunistice rise: first appearance of upper limb now roughly indicates prehistoric lower limb liftoff.
• North lunistice set: upper limb disappearance now roughly indicates prehistoric first contact of lower limb.
• South lunistice rise: lower limb liftoff now roughly indicates prehistoric first appearance of upper limb.
• South lunistice set: lower limb first contact now roughly indicates prehistoric disappearance of upper limb.