Sedona moon calendar 2026-27

When are the new and full moons in Sedona in 2026-27?

Full moons fall on Oct 25, Nov 24, Dec 23, Jan 22, Feb 20, Mar 22 and Apr 20. New moons fall on Nov 9, Dec 8, Jan 7, Feb 6, Mar 8 and Apr 6.

All times are Arizona time (MST, UTC-7), converted from the USNO phase table. A full moon that peaks in the early morning lights up the night before it just as much, so read the date as the middle of a bright stretch, not a single bad night.

Which nights should you skip for a stargazing tour?

The four nights before each full moon plus the full-moon night. The operator of the flagship tour gives that advice itself.

The waxing moon is the problem for evening tours. After the first quarter it is already high at sunset and stays up past every tour's finish. The four nights before the full moon are the brightest evenings of the month. In practice:

• Oct 22 to 25, Nov 21 to 24 and Dec 20 to 23 in 2026
• Jan 19 to 22, Feb 17 to 20, Mar 19 to 22 and Apr 17 to 20 in 2027

The flagship telescope tour still runs on those nights and points at the same objects, the operator says. The moon itself is a great telescope target. Guests on bright nights report a thinner sky, and several advise checking the moon phase before you book.

When are the darkest evenings for a tour?

From the last-quarter moon to about four days after the new moon. In that stretch the moon is either not up yet or sets soon after sunset.

After the last quarter, the moon rises around midnight and later each night, so evening tours have a dark sky. Around the new moon there's no moon at all. For a few days after it, a thin crescent sets early in the evening. That gives you the windows in the table: about twelve nights a month.

Inside that window, pick the earliest start time if you have kids, and the later one if you want the darkest sky. The flagship's times change by season: 7:30 and 9 pm from November to April, according to the operator.

Large GPS telescopes, astronomers, parkas and chairs near the Village of Oak Creek. Book it for a night inside the dark window.

★ 4.3 · 1 h 15 min · from $127

Explore the flagship telescope tour → Tour details

Which Sedona tour still works under a full moon?

A telescope tour, because the moon and planets are bright enough to shine through moonlight. Naked-eye story tours and goggle tours lose the most.

Through a telescope, the moon's craters and mountains are a highlight in their own right, and bright planets cut through moonlight. Faint objects are what you lose. The Night Sky Star Story tour has no telescopes, so a bright moon hides much of what the stories are about. The original UFO tour doesn't operate during or around the full moon at all, per its listing. One guest on the private jeep tour saw few stars under a super full moon but still enjoyed the ride.

What if it's cloudy on your night?

Every tour here needs good weather. If the operator cancels, Viator offers another date or a full refund.

Moon dates are fixed; clouds are not. Book early in a dark window so a cancelled night can move to another dark night. Direct bookings on the flagship are rescheduled when space allows, with a 100% refund if not, according to the operator.

For the full month-by-month picture, read our guide to the best time for stargazing in Sedona, and check this season's meteor showers before you choose a date.

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