August New Moon 2026, the new moon in Leo

The August 2026 New Moon is on Wednesday, August 12. It will be the eighth new moon of 2026.

A new moon is the first lunar phase that happens about once a month or 29.53 days on average. The moon itself is not visible, though you may be able to “see” it because it blocks the visibility of the stars behind it.

Ready to dive a little deeper into the August New Moon of 2026? Learn more about the moon’s nicknames and other facts about it.

Get ready for 2026’s August new moon

The August New Moon is on Wednesday, August 12th. It will be the eighth new moon of the year.

The August 12 New Moon is the second new moon of Summer as the second to occur after the Summer Solstice. Depending on if the new moon in June occurred before or after the Solstice, the August new moon is either the second or third new moon of Summer. Also in some years, the new moon in August is a seasonal black moon as the third new moon in a season with new new moons.

When is the new moon in August for 2026?

The peak of the August new moon is 1:37 PM EDT on August 12th. The moon will look fairly invisible the day before and after. The August 12 New Moon will be the new moon in Leo.

Related: Learn more about the August New Moon in 2027.

Name for the August New Moon

In 2026, the August New Moon is called the New Sturgeon Moon because it is start of the lunar cycle for the August Full Moon.

In other years, the new moon in August will start the September Full Moon cycle, and be called the New Harvest Moon or New Corn Moon.

Will there be a solar eclipse in August during the new moon?

Yes, there will be a total solar eclipse during the August new moon in 2026. There will also be an Annular Solar Eclipse during the February new moon.

Will there a new supermoon in August?

Yes, there will be new supermoon in August. The other 2026 super new moons will be during the April New Moon, May New Moon, June New Moon, and July New Moon.

A new supermoon is a new moon that nearly coincides with the closest point that the Moon comes to the Earth in its orbit, called perigee. While you cannot directly see a new moon, it may leave a larger-than usual empty space in the sky. There isn’t an official definition for how close the moon must be to the Earth to be considered a supermoon. Depending on the version you use, the moon needs to be approximately 360,000 kilometers from the Earth or closer.

Will August New Moon be a seasonal black moon?

No, as summer will have three new moons and not four, the August new moon will not be a seasonal black moon.

There are four potential definitions for a black moon, though all unofficial. As a result, it’s not rare to have a black moon in a year. It’s not possible to have all four in one year.

• A month with two new moons
• A month without a full moon, only a new moon
• A month without a new moon, only a full moon
• A season with four new moons, making the third a seasonal black moon

Because February has either 28 or 29 days, it’s the only calendar month that may not have both a new moon and a full moon in a given year.

Moon Phases in August 2026

Below are the four core moon phases that will occur in August, including the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter. The new moon will start the lunar cycle for the August Full Moon.

Phase	Date & Time	Season
August Last Quarter	Wed, August 5, 10:21 p.m. EDT	Summer
August New Moon 2026	Wed, August 12, 1:37 p.m. EDT	Summer
August First Quarter	Wed, August 19, 10:46 p.m. EDT	Summer
August Full Moon 2026	Fri, August 28, 12:18 a.m. EDT	Summer