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Full moon & new moon in August 2027

Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 25 September 2026

August 2027 holds the most talked-about sky event of the year: the total solar eclipse of August 2, with up to about six and a half minutes of totality near Luxor, Egypt. It is followed by the Sturgeon Moon and a second new moon on August 31, giving the month an unusually full lunar calendar.

Full Sturgeon Moon · Shravana Purnima (Raksha Bandhan)

  • New York (ET): Tue, Aug 17, 3:29 AM
  • Chicago (CT): Tue, Aug 17, 2:29 AM
  • Denver (MT): Tue, Aug 17, 1:29 AM
  • Los Angeles (PT): Tue, Aug 17, 12:29 AM
  • London: Tue, Aug 17, 8:29 AM
  • India (IST): Tue, Aug 17, 12:59 PM
  • Sydney: Tue, Aug 17, 5:29 PM
  • UTC: Tue, Aug 17, 7:29 AM

New moons: Mon, Aug 2, 6:05 AM ET · Tue, Aug 31, 1:41 PM ET

Distance at full moon: about 405,069 km (average ≈ 384,400 km).

In the sky

The August 2 new moon is the total eclipse. Totality begins over the Atlantic, crosses the Strait of Gibraltar and southern Spain, then Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt before reaching Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. It is not visible from the Americas. The August 17 full moon carries a faint penumbral eclipse, and the Perseid meteor shower peaks around August 12–13 in a moonlit-but-not-full sky — the waxing gibbous moon will wash out fainter meteors this year, so the best views come after moonset in the small hours. Late August evenings also start to show the first hints of autumn constellations rising in the east after dark.

Names and traditions

Shravana Purnima is Raksha Bandhan in North India and the day for renewing the sacred thread (Upakarma) among many Brahmin communities, a ceremony of ritual purification and recommitment to study. Many Hindu households avoid eating and begin bathing and mantra practice around solar eclipses, following a long-standing but non-universal custom; practices vary widely by region and family. The almanac name Sturgeon Moon comes from the Great Lakes fishing season, when the large native fish were most readily caught by Algonquian communities.

A practice for August

  1. Eclipse: protect your eyes

    Only look at the partial phases through certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses. Remove them only during totality itself, and only if you are certain of the exact timing for your location.

  2. Eclipse: sit through it

    If you are in the path, the traditional practice of silent japa or meditation during the eclipse is a remarkable way to meet it, regardless of whether you follow the fasting custom.

  3. Full moon: renew a vow

    Upakarma is a day of renewal. Choose one commitment to reaffirm, whether or not it has any connection to the ceremony itself.

  4. Raksha Bandhan: gratitude for protection

    Beyond the sibling ritual, the day's broader theme — protection freely given and received — translates into a simple practice of acknowledging who has looked out for you this year.

Moon phases have no proven effect on health or mood; these are markers for reflection, as they have been in many traditions.

Questions people ask

+ Where can I see the August 2, 2027 total solar eclipse?
Along a path through southern Spain, Gibraltar, northern Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt (including Luxor), Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. It is not visible from North America.
+ When is the August 2027 full moon?
August 17, 2027 at 07:29 UTC — 3:29 a.m. Eastern, so it looks fullest on the night of August 16.
+ Are there two new moons in August 2027?
Yes — August 2 and August 31 (US time). A second new moon in a month is sometimes called a black moon.
+ When is Raksha Bandhan 2027?
It falls on Shravana Purnima, expected around August 17, 2027; regional and lunisolar calendar differences can shift the observed date by a day, so check locally.