This Weekend's Harvest Moon Will Have Saturn as Company

Mark your calendars for a special show in the night sky on Saturday. In addition to the Harvest Moon, stargazers will also be able to check out Saturn and Neptune shining in the same part of the sky. Read on for the details of this celestial event.

Saturn and Neptune Will Join Saturday's Harvest Moon

The 2026 Harvest Moon will rise on Saturday, September 26. The moon will reach its peak fullness at 12:49 pm EDT. Although the precise moment of the full phase will happen during the middle of the day in North America, it will still appear bright and beautiful in the evening and overnight hours. The timing means that the time just after sunset will yield the peak viewing conditions.

Adding to the spectacle in the sky this year will be the presence of Saturn and Neptune hovering near the moon. While you will not be able to make out the rings of Saturn without a telescope, the famous planet will appear as a bright star easy to see with the naked eye. According to NASA, Neptune will also shine nearby, forming a triangle with Saturn and the moon.

Unlike Saturn, Neptune will be too far to make out with the naked eye. Stargazers will want to bring a telescope or a pair of binoculars to see this distant planet. The brightness of the moon will also make it more challenging to spot Neptune; however, Saturn should be quite obvious to the trained eye.