In 1988, there were 13 full moons with a blue moon in May. The year had 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.
A new moon is the first lunar phase. You may be able to see a hint of it of it in the night sky. A full moon occurs when the Earth is directly between the Sun and the Moon, allowing the moon to appear illuminated entirely. The first quarter moon occurs between the new moon and the full moon, and the last quarter moon occurs after the full moon and before the next new moon.
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 1988
The complete list of full moon dates in 1988 were:
- Sunday, January 3, 1988 at 8:40 p.m. ET — Full Wolf Moon in Cancer
- Tuesday, February 2, 1988 at 3:52 p.m. ET — Full Snow Moon in Leo
- Thursday, March 3, 1988 at 11:01 a.m. ET — Full Worm Moon in Virgo
- Saturday, April 2, 1988 at 4:21 a.m. ET — Full Pink Moon in Libra
- Sunday, May 1, 1988 at 7:41 p.m. ET — Full Flower Moon in Scorpio
- Tuesday, May 31, 1988 at 6:53 a.m. ET — Full Blue Moon in Sagittarius
- Wednesday, June 29, 1988 at 3:46 p.m. ET — Full Strawberry Moon in Capricorn
- Thursday, July 28, 1988 at 11:25 p.m. ET — Full Buck Moon in Aquarius
- Saturday, August 27, 1988 at 6:56 a.m. ET — Full Sturgeon Moon in Pisces
- Sunday, September 25, 1988 at 3:07 p.m. ET — Full Harvest Moon in Aries
- Tuesday, October 25, 1988 at 12:36 a.m. ET — Full Hunter’s Moon in Taurus
- Wednesday, November 23, 1988 at 10:53 a.m. ET — Full Beaver Moon in Gemini
- Friday, December 23, 1988 at 12:29 a.m. ET — Full Cold Moon in Cancer
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.
Lunar Eclipses
In 1988 there was a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse on Thursday, March 3 at 11:14 a.m. and a Partial Lunar Eclipse on Saturday, August 27 at 7:06 a.m. Neither were visible in the United States as they occurred during daylight hours.
1988 Supermoons
The closest full moon of 1988 was the August Full Moon on Saturday, August 27 at 6:56 a.m. While there isn’t an official defintion of a supermoon, the full moons in June, July, August, September, and October were considered supermoons based on their distance from the earth.
Full Moon 1988 Calendar at a Glance
Related Calendars
And if you’re interested in more calendars from this decade, check these out
1980 Full Moon Calendar
1981 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
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