In 1981, there were 12 full moons, one for each month. The year had a seasonal blue moon and two lunar eclipses.
The full moon is one of the four primary lunar phases, which also include the new moon, the first quarter, and the last quarter. The lunar month last approximately a month or 29.53 days on average, also called a synodic month.
All times and dates are in the United States Eastern Time Zone, with Daylight Savings Time observed for part of the year. The dates in your local time may shift.
Full Moon in 1981
The complete list of full moon dates in 1981 were:
- Tuesday, January 20, 1981 at 2:39 a.m. ET — Full Wolf Moon in Cancer
- Wednesday, February 18, 1981 at 5:58 p.m. ET — Full Snow Moon in Leo
- Friday, March 20, 1981 at 10:22 a.m. ET — Full Worm Moon in Virgo
- Sunday, April 19, 1981 at 2:59 a.m. ET — Full Pink Moon in Libra
- Monday, May 18, 1981 at 8:04 p.m. ET — Full Flower Moon in Scorpio
- Wednesday, June 17, 1981 at 11:05 a.m. ET — Full Strawberry Moon in Sagittarius
- Friday, July 17, 1981 at 12:39 a.m. ET — Full Buck Moon in Capricorn
- Saturday, August 15, 1981 at 12:37 p.m. ET — Full Sturgeon Moon in Aquarius
- Sunday, September 13, 1981 at 11:09 p.m. ET — Full Harvest Moon in Pisces
- Tuesday, October 13, 1981 at 8:49 a.m. ET — Full Hunter’s Moon in Aries
- Wednesday, November 11, 1981 at 5:26 p.m. ET — Full Beaver Moon in Taurus
- Friday, December 11, 1981 at 3:41 a.m. ET — Full Cold Moon in Gemini
Full Moon Names
Each full moon has a traditional name inspired by nature tied to cultural activities that traditionally occurred during the month. The names used today are a combination of sources, including multiple Native American Tribes, Colonial Americans, and names brought to the United States from Europe.
The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox. It occurs in September in most years, but it shifts to October about every four or five years.
Learn more about the names given to each full moon and alternate names.
1981 Lunar Eclipses
In 1981 there was a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on Tuesday, January 20 at 2:50 a.m. and a Partial Lunar Eclipse on Friday, July 17 at 12:48 a.m. Both eclipses were visible in North America.
1981 Supermoons
The closest full moon of 1981 was the December Full Moon on Friday, December 11 at 3:41 a.m. While there isn’t an official defintion of a supermoon, the full moons in October, November, and December were considered supermoons based on their distance from the earth.
Full Moon 1981 Calendar at a Glance
Related Calendars
And if you’re interested in more calendars from this decade, check these out
1980 Full Moon Calendar
1982 Full Moon Calendar
1983 Full Moon Calendar
1984 Full Moon Calendar
1985 Full Moon Calendar
1986 Full Moon Calendar
1987 Full Moon Calendar
1988 Full Moon Calendar
1989 Full Moon Calendar
Sources
The dates and times provided by NASA are set to United States Eastern Time and adjusted for Daylight Saving Time for part of the year. Since you may be in a different time zone, the exact dates may shift for your calendar.
Learn more about the upcoming full moons
Continue your exploration of full moon dates and celestial events