Calendar with Custom Holidays by Country
Easily generate a printable calendar for any month and year, complete with country-specific holidays and global observance days. This powerful calendar tool is perfect for social media managers, marketing teams, event planners, festive content creators, and anyone who wants to stay organized with international, national, and regional holidays.
Filter by Holiday Type:
Universal Time & Date
https://www.universaltimedate.com
September 2026
Holidays for: United States
September 2026
Holiday Legend:
Holidays & Observances in September
5
Sat
International Day of Charity
UN observance
5
Sat
International Day of Charity
UN observance
7
Mon
Labor Day
National Holiday
7
Mon
Full Moon (Harvest Moon)
Season
7
Mon
International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
UN observance
7
Mon
Full Harvest Moon (Lunar Eclipse)
Season
7
Mon
Total Lunar Eclipse
Season
7
Mon
Bailu (White Dew) — Solar Term
Season
8
Tue
International Literacy Day
UN observance
9
Wed
International Day to Protect Education from Attack
UN observance
11
Fri
Patriot Day
Observance
12
Sat
Rosh Hashanah
Religious
12
Sat
United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
UN observance
12
Sat
Rosh Hashanah (approx.)
Observance
13
Sun
International Programmer's Day (256th day of year)
Observance
15
Tue
International Day of Democracy
UN observance
16
Wed
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
UN observance
17
Thu
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
Observance
17
Thu
World Patient Safety Day
UN observance
18
Fri
International Equal Pay Day
UN observance
19
Sat
Saturn at Opposition
Season
19
Sat
Talk Like a Pirate Day
Observance
21
Mon
International Day of Peace
UN observance
21
Mon
Yom Kippur
Religious
21
Mon
International Day of Peace
UN observance
21
Mon
Partial Solar Eclipse
Season
21
Mon
Yom Kippur (approx.)
Observance
22
Tue
Autumnal Equinox
Season
22
Tue
Autumnal Equinox
Season
22
Tue
New Moon
Season
22
Tue
Car-Free Day
Observance
23
Wed
Qiufen (Autumnal Equinox) — Solar Term
Season
23
Wed
Mabon (Autumnal Equinox)
Observance
23
Wed
International Day of Sign Languages
UN observance
25
Fri
World Maritime Day
UN observance
26
Sat
Sukkot Begins
Religious
26
Sat
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
UN observance
27
Sun
World Tourism Day
UN observance
27
Sun
World Tourism Day
UN observance
28
Mon
International Day for Universal Access to Information
UN observance
29
Tue
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
UN observance
30
Wed
International Translation Day
UN observance
Related Resources
Best Time to Call India from the USA
The best time to call India from the USA is between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST), which corresponds to 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST). This window captures the end of the Indian business day while remaining reasonably early for US callers on the East Coast. For West Coast callers, the sweet spot shifts to 6:00 AM–9:00 AM PST (7:30 PM–10:30 PM IST), requiring an early start but avoiding late-night calls for your Indian counterparts.
Best Time to Call the UK from the USA
The best time to call the UK from the USA is between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM Eastern Time, which corresponds to 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in the UK. This window provides the ideal overlap: it is morning in the US (when American teams are fresh) and afternoon in the UK (before British colleagues sign off for the day). For US Pacific Coast callers, the sweet spot is 5:00 AM–9:00 AM PST (1:00 PM–5:00 PM GMT), which requires an early start but avoids pushing into UK evening hours.
Best Time to Call Australia from the USA
The best time to call Australia from the USA is late afternoon to early evening US time, which aligns with morning in Australia. Specifically, a 4:00 PM–7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time call corresponds to 8:00 AM–11:00 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) the following day. For US West Coast callers, the window shifts to 2:00 PM–5:00 PM PST (9:00 AM–12:00 PM AEST next day). This is one of the most challenging trans-Pacific scheduling pairs, with a gap ranging from 12 to 18 hours depending on the time zones involved.
Best Time to Call the UAE from the USA
The best time to call the UAE from the USA is between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, which corresponds to 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Gulf Standard Time (GST) in the UAE. This window catches UAE-based colleagues at the end of their workday while keeping US callers in the early morning — a reasonable compromise given the 8-to-12-hour gap. For US West Coast callers, the sweet spot shifts to 5:00 AM–8:00 AM PST (5:00 PM–8:00 PM GST), which requires an early start but avoids the critical cultural consideration of calling during UAE personal and family time.
Best Time to Call the Philippines from the USA
The best time to call the Philippines from the USA is between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, which corresponds to 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM Philippine Time (PHT) the following day. This window captures the start of the Philippine business day while keeping US callers in their late afternoon — a workable compromise for one of the most challenging trans-Pacific scheduling pairs. For US West Coast callers, the window shifts to 2:00 PM–5:00 PM PST (6:00 AM–9:00 AM PHT next day), which fits more naturally into the workday but arrives very early for Philippine colleagues.
Best Time to Call India from the UK: Complete Scheduling Guide
The best time to call India from the UK is between 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM GMT (or 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM BST), which corresponds to 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM IST in India. This window catches Indian colleagues during their afternoon working hours while remaining well within the UK's morning business day. For maximum convenience on both sides, aim for the 10:00 AM–12:00 PM UK time slot.
Best Time to Call London and New York: Complete Scheduling Guide
The best time to call London from New York (or vice versa) is between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM Eastern Time, which corresponds to 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM London time during winter (GMT) and 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM BST during summer. This four-hour "transatlantic sweet spot" provides maximum overlap between the standard working days on both sides of the Atlantic.
Best Time to Call California and India: Complete Scheduling Guide
The best time to call India from California is between 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM Pacific Time, which corresponds to 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM IST the following day in India. This window catches Indian colleagues during their morning work hours while requiring only a modest evening commitment from the California side. For a slightly earlier option, 6:30 PM PT reaches India at 8:00 AM IST — right at the start of their day.
Best Time to Call Dubai and New York: Complete Scheduling Guide
The best time to call Dubai from New York is between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM Eastern Time, which corresponds to 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM GST in Dubai. This window catches Dubai during late afternoon while falling squarely in New York's morning. For Dubai-initiated calls, the best time is 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM GST (8:00 AM to 10:00 AM ET). However, there is a critical catch: Dubai's work week runs Sunday through Thursday, which means your Monday is their Tuesday and their Sunday is your Saturday-equivalent.
Best Time to Call Singapore and London: The Complete Scheduling Guide
The best time to call between Singapore and London is 9:00 AM–10:00 AM London time (5:00 PM–6:00 PM Singapore time) during UK winter (GMT), or 10:00 AM–11:00 AM London time (5:00 PM–6:00 PM Singapore time) during UK summer (BST). This window catches London in its morning work hours and Singapore before the end of its business day—a narrow but reliable overlap of roughly 1–2 hours on a typical working schedule.
PST vs EST: Time Difference and Best Meeting Hours
The Pacific time zone (PST/PDT) is always 3 hours behind Eastern time (EST/EDT). When it is 9:00 AM in New York, it is 6:00 AM in San Francisco. The best meeting window for coast-to-coast teams is 12:00 PM–3:00 PM ET / 9:00 AM–12:00 PM PT, which respects normal working hours on both sides. Both zones shift to and from daylight saving time on the same dates, so the 3-hour gap never changes.
EST vs IST: Time Difference and Best Meeting Hours
India Standard Time (IST, UTC+5:30) is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC-5) and 9 hours 30 minutes ahead of Eastern Daylight Time (EDT, UTC-4). The best meeting window is 7:30 AM–9:30 AM ET / 6:00 PM–8:00 PM IST—early morning for the US East Coast and evening for India. India does not observe daylight saving time, so the gap shifts by one hour when the US changes clocks.
How to Schedule a Webinar Across Multiple Time Zones
To schedule a webinar across multiple time zones, start by mapping where your attendees actually are—not where your speakers are. Choose a time that maximizes live attendance for your most important audience segment. Display the webinar time in each attendee's local time zone on the registration page and all confirmation emails. Build in a 30-minute buffer around DST transitions, and always offer an on-demand recording. The single best global compromise time for a 60-minute webinar targeting the US, Europe, and Asia is 9:00 AM ET / 2:00 PM London / 6:30 PM IST / 10:00 PM SGT—but this only works if Asia attendance is nice-to-have, not essential.
How to Avoid DST Mistakes in Global Meetings
daylight saving time causes meeting errors because countries change clocks on different dates—or do not change at all. The US shifts on the second Sunday of March; the EU shifts on the last Sunday of March; Australia shifts in April; Japan, India, and China never shift. These mismatches create 2–3 week "danger windows" each spring and fall where time differences are temporarily off by one hour. To avoid DST mistakes, store all recurring meetings in UTC, audit your calendar after every transition, send time-zone-specific reminders during danger weeks, and never manually copy meeting times from one week to the next without verifying the offset.
Remote Team Meeting Schedule: US, Europe, and India
The only viable real-time meeting window for teams spanning the US East Coast, Western Europe, and India is approximately 8:30 AM–10:00 AM ET / 1:30 PM–3:00 PM London / 7:00 PM–8:30 PM IST. This narrow 90-minute overlap requires the US team to start early and the India team to stay late. For US Pacific Coast participants, the window shifts to 5:30 AM–7:00 AM PT, which is often unworkable. The most sustainable approach is an asynchronous-first strategy with 2–3 synchronous meetings per week in the overlap window, supplemented by rotating times so no single region always bears the inconvenience.
How Time Zones Work: The Complete Guide to Global Timekeeping
time zones divide the world into 24 regions where clocks are set to the same standard time. Each zone typically covers 15 degrees of longitude — the distance Earth rotates in one hour. The reference point is UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), and every other zone is expressed as an offset from it, such as UTC+5:30 for India or UTC-5 for the US Eastern time zone. Political and economic factors mean real-world time zone boundaries often deviate from neat longitude lines.
UTC vs GMT: What Is the Difference?
GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) is a time zone based on the average solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is an atomic time standard maintained by international agreement. They display the same clock time (within 0.9 seconds of each other), but they are fundamentally different things: GMT is a place-based time zone, and UTC is a precision time standard used as the world's reference for science, aviation, and computing.
Half-Hour and 45-Minute Time Zones: Why Not Every Country Rounds to the Nearest Hour
While most of the world uses whole-hour time zone offsets (like UTC+1 or UTC-5), 13 distinct offsets use 30-minute or 45-minute increments. These exist because some countries' longitudinal centers fall between two whole-hour zones, and rounding to the nearest hour would place solar noon too far from clock noon. Others chose unusual offsets for political reasons — to distinguish themselves from neighboring countries. India (UTC+5:30), Nepal (UTC+5:45), and Afghanistan (UTC+4:30) are the most prominent examples.
What Is Daylight Saving Time? The Complete Guide
daylight saving time (DST) is the practice of moving clocks forward by one hour in spring and back by one hour in fall. The goal is to shift an hour of daylight from the morning (when most people are asleep) to the evening (when most people are awake), theoretically saving energy and extending usable daylight hours. About 70 countries observe DST, but the practice is increasingly controversial, with growing numbers of nations abolishing it.
Standard Time vs Daylight Saving Time: What's the Difference?
Standard time is the "natural" time for a region, based on its longitude and UTC offset — for example, Eastern Standard Time (UTC-5) for New York. daylight saving time is an artificial one-hour shift forward from standard time, used during warmer months to extend evening daylight — making New York UTC-4 (Eastern Daylight Time). Standard time aligns better with solar noon; DST prioritizes evening light. Roughly 70 countries switch between them each year.
Why Time Differences Change During the Year
The time difference between two cities can change during the year because of daylight saving time (DST). Not all countries observe DST, and those that do start and end it on different dates. When one city springs forward or falls back while the other does not, the gap between them shifts by one hour. For example, New York and London are normally 5 hours apart, but for a few weeks each year, the gap temporarily becomes 4 hours because the US changes its clocks before the UK does.
What Is the International Date Line?
The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line running roughly along the 180-degree meridian in the Pacific Ocean where the calendar date changes. Cross it traveling eastward and you move back one day; cross it traveling westward and you move forward one day. Unlike the prime meridian, the IDL zigzags to accommodate national borders — bending around Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, the Aleutian Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji so that nearby nations stay on the same side of the line.
What Are Leap Seconds? Why the World Occasionally Adds (or May Subtract) a Second
A leap second is a one-second adjustment occasionally added to UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) to keep it aligned with Earth's rotation. Because Earth's rotation is gradually slowing due to tidal friction, astronomical time (UT1) drifts behind atomic time (TAI). Leap seconds are inserted on June 30 or December 31 to keep UTC within 0.9 seconds of UT1. Since 1972, 27 leap seconds have been added — but never subtracted. In 2022, the International Telecommunication Union voted to abolish leap seconds by 2035, replacing them with a yet-to-be-determined mechanism.
How Leap Years Work: Why We Need an Extra Day Every Four Years (Except When We Don't)
A leap year is a year with 366 days instead of the usual 365, with February 29 added to the calendar. Leap years exist because Earth takes approximately 365.24219 days to orbit the Sun — not exactly 365. Without leap years, the calendar would drift about 24 days per century from the seasons. The rules: years divisible by 4 are leap years, except years divisible by 100, unless they are also divisible by 400. So 2024 is a leap year, 2100 is not, and 2000 was.
How to Read the 24-Hour Clock: A Complete Guide
The 24-hour clock numbers the hours from 00:00 (midnight) to 23:59 (one minute before the next midnight), eliminating any confusion between AM and PM. To convert from 12-hour to 24-hour time: for AM hours, keep the number the same (except 12 AM = 00:00); for PM hours, add 12 (except 12 PM = 12:00). So 3:00 PM becomes 15:00, and 8:30 AM becomes 08:30. The 24-hour clock is the standard in most of the world, the military, aviation, healthcare, and computing.
Daylight Saving Time 2026: When Clocks Change in Every Major Country
In 2026, the US springs forward on Sunday, March 8 and falls back on Sunday, November 1. The EU and UK spring forward on March 29 and fall back on October 25.** Because the US and Europe change clocks on different dates, there are two 'danger windows' each year (March 8 to 29 and October 25 to November 1) when the time difference between any US city and any European city is off by one hour. Australia and New Zealand follow opposite schedules. About 70 countries observe DST; roughly 130 do not, including China, Japan, India, Russia, and Brazil.
When Does Daylight Saving Time Start in 2027? Spring Forward Dates and the Last-Change Question
Daylight saving time returns in the United States on Sunday, March 14, 2027, at 2:00 a.m., when clocks jump forward one hour to 3:00 a.m. and every state except Arizona and Hawaii loses an hour of sleep. Europe makes the same jump two weeks later, on Sunday, March 28, 2027. The reward arrives that same evening: sunsets leap roughly an hour in a single day — from about 6:00 p.m. to 7:01 p.m. in New York. And one genuinely consequential question hangs over this particular spring-forward: the Sunshine Protection Act — the bill to make daylight saving time permanent — passed the House 308-117 in July 2026, the President publicly urged the Senate to pass it on August 16, 2026, and if it becomes law, the March 14, 2027 change could be America's last.
Moon Phases Explained: A Complete Guide to the Lunar Cycle
moon phases happen because the Moon orbits Earth, and we see different amounts of its sunlit side as its position changes relative to the Sun and Earth. The complete cycle — from one New Moon to the next — takes about 29.53 days, called a synodic month. There are eight recognized phases: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, and Waning Crescent.
Full Moon Names Explained: The Stories Behind Each Month's Moon
Full Moon names come primarily from Native American and colonial American traditions, with each month's Moon reflecting seasonal events like animal behavior, plant cycles, or weather. The most widely used set includes the Wolf Moon (January), Snow Moon (February), Worm Moon (March), Pink Moon (April), Strawberry Moon (May), Buck Moon (June), Sturgeon Moon (July), Sturgeon Moon (August), Corn Moon (September), Hunter's Moon (October), Beaver Moon (November), and Cold Moon (December). Many cultures worldwide have their own naming systems.
What Is a Supermoon? The Science Behind the Biggest and Brightest Full Moon
A supermoon is a Full Moon that occurs when the Moon is at or near its closest point to Earth (perigee) in its elliptical orbit. Supermoons appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a Full Moon at its farthest point (apogee). The scientific term is perigee-syzygy, and there are typically 3 to 4 supermoons each year. While the size difference is real, most people cannot notice it without a direct comparison.
Why the Moon Looks Bigger Near the Horizon: The Moon Illusion Explained
The Moon looks bigger near the horizon because of a well-known optical illusion called the Moon illusion — not because the Moon is actually closer. When the Moon is low, nearby foreground objects like trees and buildings provide a scale reference that makes it appear larger. When it is high in the sky with nothing to compare it against, it seems smaller. Photographs prove the Moon is the same angular size at both positions. The illusion is entirely in your brain.
Why the Moon Changes Shape: The Science Behind Lunar Phases
The Moon changes shape because it orbits Earth, and we see different portions of its sunlit half as its position relative to the Sun and Earth changes. It has nothing to do with Earth's shadow. The Moon does not produce its own light — it reflects sunlight. As the Moon circles Earth over 29.53 days, the angle between the Sun, Earth, and Moon shifts continuously, and the amount of the Moon's illuminated side visible from Earth changes accordingly, creating the phases we observe.
Why Sunrise and Sunset Times Change Throughout the Year
Sunrise and sunset times change because Earth's axis is tilted 23.44 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. As Earth moves through its orbit, the tilt causes the Sun's apparent path across the sky to shift north and south, changing how long the Sun stays above the horizon each day. Near the solstices, days are longest or shortest; near the equinoxes, day and night are roughly equal. Latitude dramatically affects how much the times change — equatorial regions see little variation, while polar regions see extreme shifts.
What Is Golden Hour? The Complete Guide to Magic Light
Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and shortly before sunset when the Sun is between 0 and 6 degrees above the horizon. During this time, sunlight travels through more atmosphere, scattering blue light and creating warm, golden tones with soft shadows and low contrast. Photographers prize golden hour for its flattering, dimensional light. Its actual duration varies significantly by latitude and season — from about 30 minutes near the equator to several hours near the poles during summer.
Civil vs. Nautical vs. Astronomical Twilight: The Three Stages of Fading Light
Twilight is the period when the Sun is below the horizon but still illuminates the atmosphere. There are three types defined by how far the Sun is below the horizon: civil twilight (Sun 0–6° below horizon; enough light for most outdoor activities), nautical twilight (Sun 6–12° below; horizon visible at sea, stars appearing), and astronomical twilight (Sun 12–18° below; sky nearly dark, faint stars visible). When the Sun is more than 18° below the horizon, true night begins. The duration of each twilight phase depends on your latitude and the season.
Why Day Length Changes Through the Year: The Science of Shifting Daylight
Day length changes through the year because Earth's axis is tilted 23.44 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun. As Earth moves along its orbit, the tilt causes different parts of the planet to receive more or less direct sunlight at different times. Near the summer solstice, the tilted hemisphere experiences longer days; near the winter solstice, shorter days. The equator sees minimal variation, while polar regions experience extreme shifts from midnight sun to polar night. The rate of change is fastest near the equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.
How the Moon Affects Tides: The Science of Earth's Ocean Rhythms
The Moon affects tides through its gravitational pull on Earth's oceans. The Moon's gravity creates a bulge in the ocean on the side of Earth facing the Moon (where the pull is strongest) and a second bulge on the opposite side (where the Moon's pull is weakest, allowing inertia to dominate). As Earth rotates through these bulges, most coastlines experience two high tides and two low tides per day. The Sun also contributes to tides, and when Sun and Moon align (New and Full Moons), they produce spring tides with the largest tidal range. When they are at right angles (Quarter Moons), they produce neap tides with the smallest range.
When Is the Next Solar Eclipse?
The next solar eclipse is an annular ("ring of fire") eclipse on Saturday, February 6, 2027, with its narrow annular path crossing southern South America, the Atlantic Ocean, and west and central Africa. Outside that path, a large partial eclipse will be visible from the Americas, Europe, and Africa. You must use certified eye protection to view any phase of this eclipse. The most recent total solar eclipse — August 12, 2026, over Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain — is covered in depth below.
August 12, 2026 Total Solar Eclipse
A total solar eclipse will cross the Arctic on August 12, 2026, sweeping its path of totality across Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain. Observers within this narrow path will see the Sun completely covered by the Moon for up to 2 minutes 18 seconds, revealing the solar corona in one of nature's most dramatic spectacles. Outside the path, a partial eclipse will be visible across most of Europe and North Africa. The August 12 eclipse occurs just 41 days before the Autumn Equinox on September 22, marking the transition from summer to fall.
When Is the Next Lunar Eclipse?
The next lunar eclipse is a subtle penumbral eclipse on February 20, 2027, visible from Africa, Europe, and Asia — the Moon only grazes Earth's outer shadow, so expect a faint dimming rather than a dramatic show. The next umbral eclipse (where the Moon visibly turns red) is a deep partial on the night of July 6, 2028. And the eclipse most people are still talking about — the August 27–28, 2026 deep partial over the Americas — is covered below. No special equipment is ever needed: just look up.
August 27–28, 2026 Partial Lunar Eclipse
A deep partial lunar eclipse took place on the night of August 27–28, 2026, when 93.2% of the Moon's diameter passed through Earth's dark umbral shadow. Visible in full from the Americas — and before dawn from western Europe and West Africa — this was the deepest partial lunar eclipse since 2021, so deep that the eclipsed portion glowed a vivid red, nearly mimicking a total eclipse.
Meteor Showers 2026: Complete Calendar, Peak Dates & Viewing Guide
The best meteor showers of 2026 are the Perseids (peaking August 12 with ZHR ~100 under excellent dark-sky conditions) and the Geminids (peaking December 14 with ZHR ~150), while the Quadrantids (January 4) offer a strong but brief display. Below you'll find the full 2026 meteor shower calendar, viewing tips, moon interference analysis, and everything you need to catch shooting stars this year.
Lyrid Meteor Shower 2026: Peak Dates, Viewing Times & Complete Guide
The Lyrid meteor shower peaks on the night of April 22–23, 2026, with an expected rate of about 18 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. In 2026, viewing conditions are favorable thanks to a waxing crescent moon that sets early in the evening, leaving dark skies for most of the night. The Lyrids are one of the oldest known meteor showers, documented by Chinese astronomers for over 2,700 years.
Perseid Meteor Shower 2026: Peak Dates, Best Viewing Times & Complete Guide
The Perseid meteor shower peaks on the night of August 12–13, 2026, with an expected Zenithal Hourly Rate of approximately 100 meteors per hour. 2026 offers exceptional viewing conditions because the New Moon falls on August 11, leaving the entire peak night virtually moon-free — the best Perseid viewing opportunity since 2024 and the finest until 2028.
Moon Phases 2026: Complete Calendar, Full Moon Names, Eclipses & Supermoons
The 2026 moon phase cycle includes 13 full moons, 12 new moons, 4 eclipses (2 solar and 2 lunar), and two supermoons. The year's full moons follow the traditional naming system from Wolf Moon in January through Cold Moon in December, with the March 3 full moon coinciding with a total lunar eclipse visible across the Americas, Europe, and Africa.
April 2026 Moon Phases: Complete Calendar, Pink Moon, Lyrids & Best Stargazing Nights
April 2026 features a full Pink Moon on April 2 (peaking at 02:12 UTC — the evening of April 1 in the Americas) and a new moon on April 17, creating two distinct sky-watching windows — bright moonlit nights early in the month and dark, star-filled skies in the middle of the month. The Lyrid meteor shower peaks around April 22–23, with decent moon conditions as the roughly 35–40% waxing crescent sets shortly after midnight, leaving the pre-dawn hours dark for meteor viewing.
2026 Supermoon Dates: When, Where, and How to See Every Supermoon This Year
The 2026 supermoons occur on November 24 and December 24, when full moons coincide with the Moon's closest approach to Earth. The closest supermoon of 2026 falls on December 24 — the Cold Moon — when the Moon will be approximately 356,700 km from Earth, appearing up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a full moon at apogee.
Equinoxes and Solstices 2026: Exact Dates, Times & Complete Guide
The four equinoxes and solstices in 2026 occur on: March Equinox (March 20 at 14:46 UTC), June Solstice (June 21 at 08:25 UTC), September Equinox (September 23 at 00:05 UTC), and December Solstice (December 21 at 20:50 UTC). These four moments mark the official transitions between the seasons and are determined by the Sun's position relative to Earth's celestial equator.
Summer Solstice 2026: Exact Date, Longest Day & Complete Guide
The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on June 21, 2026, at 08:25 UTC (which is June 21 at 4:25 AM EDT for North America). This marks the longest day of the year and the official astronomical start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky and daylight hours peak before gradually declining.
Autumn Equinox 2026: Date, Time, Meaning, and Everything You Need to Know
The Autumn Equinox 2026 occurs on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 00:05 UTC (September 22 at 8:05 PM EDT in North America). This is the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south, marking the official start of astronomical autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of spring in the Southern Hemisphere. On this day, nearly every place on Earth experiences roughly equal hours of daylight and darkness.
International Observe the Moon Night 2026: Date, How to Participate & What to See
International Observe the Moon Night 2026 takes place on Saturday, September 19, 2026 — an annual NASA-sponsored event that invites people worldwide to look up and appreciate the Moon. The event is held on a Saturday near the first quarter moon in September or October, and 2026's first quarter moon on September 18 anchors the celebration one night later.
February 6, 2027 Annular Solar Eclipse
An annular solar eclipse will occur on February 6, 2027, creating a spectacular "Ring of Fire" as the Moon passes in front of the Sun but is too far from Earth to completely cover it. The path of annularity crosses South America, the Atlantic Ocean, and western and central Africa. Unlike a total solar eclipse, there is never a safe moment to look at an annular eclipse without certified eye protection.
Blue Moon 2026 & 2027: Exact Dates, Times, and the Timezone Twist Nobody Explains
The next Blue Moon is May 20, 2027 (seasonal); the next monthly one is December 31, 2028.** A 'Blue Moon' is just a name for an extra full moon in a month or season, not a color. Whether a particular full moon counts as a Blue Moon can change based on your timezone, because the instant of peak illumination falls on different local dates depending on where you live. The monthly definition depends on calendar dates, the seasonal one is timezone-independent.
Planet Parade 2026: When to See the Planets Align
On July 17, 2026, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are all visible in the evening sky after sunset, no telescope required.** Look west within an hour of sunset for Venus (low), then south for Jupiter (higher), and wait for Saturn to clear the east-southeast horizon by about 10 PM local time. These three are the brightest planets in the night sky after the Sun and Moon. The widely-publicized 'six-planet alignment' of February 28, 2026 has passed, and the next major planet-opposition event is Saturn on October 4, 2026, when Saturn's rings will appear nearly edge-on, a once-every-15-years sight.
Northern Lights 2026: Best Dates, Times & Places to See the Aurora
The best time to see the northern lights in 2026 is September through October 2026 and February through March 2027, between 10 PM and 2 AM local time.** The top destinations are Tromsø (Norway), Abisko (Sweden), Rovaniemi (Finland), Reykjavik (Iceland), Yellowknife (Canada), and Fairbanks (Alaska). We are still on the declining side of solar maximum, which means 2026 continues to see elevated aurora activity and major KP5+ storms multiple times per month. Plan around new moon dates to avoid moonlight washing out faint aurora.
Milky Way Season 2026: Best Dates to See & Photograph Our Galaxy
Milky Way season in the Northern Hemisphere runs from March through October 2026, with peak viewing in June and July 2026.** The best individual nights are always within ±3 days of a new moon: specifically July 15, August 12, September 11, and October 10, 2026. The galactic core in Sagittarius is the photogenic centerpiece, and is only visible from late March through early October from mid-northern latitudes. You need a dark sky location (Bortle class 1-3) and a camera with manual controls for photography. No equipment is required to see the Milky Way with the naked eye from a truly dark site.
Solar Maximum 2026: Why This Is Still the Year of Epic Northern Lights
Solar maximum was officially reached in 2024 to 2025, but 2026 still sees elevated aurora and frequent KP5+ storms.** The decline phase of a solar cycle is statistically when some of the largest individual storms occur, including the famous 1859 Carrington Event. Through the rest of 2026, observers can expect several KP5+ geomagnetic storms per month, with occasional KP7 to KP8 events that push aurora visibility to mid-latitudes. Solar minimum is not expected until around 2030.
Harvest Moon 2026: Exact Date, Time Zones & Complete Guide
The 2026 Harvest Moon falls on Saturday, September 26, with peak illumination at 16:49 UTC (5:49 PM in London, 12:49 PM in New York, 9:49 AM in Los Angeles). It is the full moon closest to the September 23 autumnal equinox. What makes the Harvest Moon special is not its appearance but its timing*. For 3 to 4 consecutive nights, the moon rises only 20 to 30 minutes later each evening instead of the usual 50 minutes, providing bright moonlight right at sunset for farmers harvesting late-season crops.
Best Stargazing Nights 2026: Complete Dark Sky Calendar (July-December)
The best stargazing nights in 2026 are always within ±3 days of a new moon. Standout dates: July 12 to 18 (new moon July 15), August 9 to 15 (new moon August 12, plus Perseid peak), September 8 to 14 (new moon September 11), October 7 to 13 (new moon October 10, just after Saturn's October 4 opposition), November 6 to 12 (new moon November 9), and December 6 to 12 (new moon December 9, plus Geminid peak). August 2026 is the single best stargazing month of the year**, with a new moon, Perseid peak, and total solar eclipse all converging.
Comet 2026: Visible Comets & How to See Them
2026 is not a great year for bright naked-eye comets. The best currently-observable comet is 10P/Tempel 2, visible in July to August at magnitude 10 to 11 (telescope required).** The next reasonable chance for a brighter comet is 2P/Encke, which reaches perihelion around January 2027 and may become binocular-visible in late 2026. The most-publicized comet of early 2026, C/2024 E1 (PanSTARRS), has already passed its peak and faded. Comet predictions are notoriously unreliable: be skeptical of hype, but be ready to observe when a comet does perform.
August 12, 2026: The Day of Two Wonders
On Wednesday, August 12, 2026, two of the year's biggest astronomical events converge: a total solar eclipse during the day (maximum 17:45:53 UTC, 2 minutes 18 seconds of totality over Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain) and the Perseid meteor shower peak that night (peak 14:53 UTC on August 13).** The same new moon that produces the eclipse also produces perfect dark-sky conditions for the Perseids, making this the best moon-dark Perseid display since 2021 — the next comparable one is not until 2029. As of July 17, 2026, this event is 26 days away; flights and hotels along the path of totality are selling out fast.
Geminid Meteor Shower 2026: Peak Times and the Best Dark Skies in Years
The Geminid meteor shower peaks on the night of Sunday, December 13 into Monday, December 14, 2026, and this year it comes with the best possible news: the sky will be moonless. A thin crescent, barely 15% illuminated, sets by around 9:00 p.m. local time — after that, nothing competes with the meteors. Under genuinely dark skies the Geminids deliver up to 120 meteors per hour, more than any other shower of 2026. Mark the urgency too: the 2027 Geminids collide with a nearly full moon, so if you skip this one, you wait until December 2028 for conditions this good.
Orionid Meteor Shower 2026: Peak Times and Honest Viewing Advice
The Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of Wednesday, October 21 into the early hours of Thursday, October 22, 2026. Under perfect conditions the Orionids produce 20 to 25 meteors per hour, and every single one of them is a piece of Halley's Comet. But here's the honest part most guides bury in paragraph six: 2026 is a bad moon year for this shower. A waxing gibbous moon, roughly 80% illuminated, will sit in the sky for most of the peak night — which means your realistic viewing window runs from about 3:20 a.m. until dawn twilight, after the moon sets. The shower is still worth your alarm clock. You just need to know when to look, and when not to bother.
Winter Solstice 2026: Exact Time, the Shortest Day, and When Days Get Longer
The winter solstice of 2026 arrives on Monday, December 21, at 20:50 UTC — that's 3:50 p.m. Eastern, 2:50 p.m. Central, 12:50 p.m. Pacific, and 8:50 p.m. in London. It's the moment the sun stands over the Tropic of Capricorn, the northern hemisphere tilts as far from the sun as it ever gets, and the year's shortest day officially begins its turnaround. In New York, that means 9 hours and 15 minutes of daylight; in London, 7 hours 50 minutes. From this instant forward, every single day gets longer. And one myth needs busting right away: the solstice is not the day of the earliest sunset — that already happened about two weeks earlier. (More on that below, because it genuinely surprises people every year.)
New Year 2027 Countdown: When Does 2027 Start Where You Live?
The year 2027 begins at midnight on Friday, January 1 — your local midnight. For most of the United States, that moment arrives with the ball drop in Times Square at 12:00 a.m. Eastern, 11:00 p.m. Central, 10:00 p.m. Mountain, 9:00 p.m. Pacific on December 31. But the planet does not celebrate at once. The first inhabited place on Earth to enter 2027 is Kiritimati, Kiribati, at 10:00 UTC on December 31 — 5:00 a.m. Eastern time, while New Yorkers are still at lunch. The last dry land to cross into 2027, tiny American Samoa, waits 21 more hours. From first midnight to last, the New Year needs 26 hours to circle the globe.
August 2, 2027 Total Solar Eclipse: The 6-Minute 'Eclipse of the Century' and How to See It
On Monday, August 2, 2027, the moon's shadow crosses Earth on a path from the South Pacific through Spain, North Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen — and it produces the longest totality any living person will likely ever have the chance to see on land: 6 minutes and 23 seconds, with the maximum near Luxor, Egypt. It is the longest total solar eclipse since 1991, and by NASA's data no longer one will occur until August 3, 2114. One honest note for most American readers: the eclipse is effectively not visible from the United States — only a 5-minute partial at sunrise, low on the ocean horizon, from the eastern tip of Maine. To see totality, you have to travel — and this guide is built around doing exactly that, with real numbers.
First Day of Spring 2027: Exact Equinox Time, Daylight, and the 12-Hour-Day Myth
Spring 2027 begins on Saturday, March 20, at 20:24 UTC — 4:24 p.m. Eastern, 3:24 p.m. Central, 1:24 p.m. Pacific, and 8:24 p.m. in London. That instant, the sun crosses the celestial equator heading north, and everywhere on Earth (outside the poles) gets a sunrise almost exactly due east and a sunset almost exactly due west. But the one thing "equinox" does not mean is a 12-hour day — on March 20, 2027, New York actually gets 12 hours 8 minutes of daylight, and the true equal day/night moment arrives about three days earlier. That distinction, and the numbers behind it, are what this guide is for.
Quadrantid Meteor Shower 2027: Peak Time, the Dead-Comet Story, and an Honest Viewing Guide
The Quadrantids — the first major meteor shower of 2027 and, at their best, its strongest — peak on the night of January 3–4, 2027, with the predicted maximum at 05:47 UTC on January 4 (12:47 a.m. Eastern, 11:47 p.m. Central on January 3). Under ideal dark skies the shower can deliver up to 120 meteors per hour at its peak, and 2027 comes with genuinely good news: a thin waning crescent, 13 to 20 percent illuminated, that rises at about 3:56 a.m. and barely interferes. The honest catch is the Quadrantids' famous personality quirk: this shower's peak is razor-sharp — strong rates last only a few hours, not days — so your timing matters more than for any other major shower. Miss the window and you see a trickle; hit it and you see one of the year's best displays.
Leonid Meteor Shower 2026: Peak Times and the Storm-Cycle Story
The Leonid meteor shower peaks on the night of Monday, November 16 into the early hours of Tuesday, November 17, 2026, with the predicted maximum around 06:00 UTC on the 17th. Under dark skies the Leonids deliver 10 to 20 meteors per hour — fast, bright streaks from the dust trail of Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, hitting the atmosphere at 71 kilometers per second, the fastest entry speed of any major annual shower.
Thanksgiving 2026: Exact Date, Countdown, Parade & Game Times
Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26 — the fourth Thursday of November, exactly as federal law requires. November 2026 opens on a Sunday, so its Thursdays land on the 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th — putting the holiday toward the late end of the legal window (the latest it can fall is November 28). The holiday anchors a four-day weekend for most American workers (November 26-29, with Black Friday on the 27th), and 2026 adds two once-in-a-generation hooks: the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade steps off at 9:00 a.m. Eastern that morning, and the NFL serves a tripleheader ending with Chiefs-Bills in prime time.
When Is Black Friday 2026? Exact Dates, Start Times & the 2026-2030 Calendar
Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27 — the day after Thanksgiving, exactly as the name promises. But the date is now the smallest fact about it: the shopping event begins weeks before the day itself, with early deals creeping into the first days of November (and October's Prime Day competing for the same wallets). On the actual Friday, online sales typically flip live at midnight Eastern — 9:00 p.m. Thursday Pacific — while brick-and-mortar doorbusters open at or before 6:00 a.m. local time. The weekend runs Black Friday (November 27) → Small Business Saturday (November 28) → Sunday → Cyber Monday (November 30, the biggest online shopping day of the year), and Christmas sits just 28 days behind the checkout lines.
Cold Moon 2026: The Christmas Supermoon of December 23-24
The Cold Moon — December 2026's full moon — peaks at 8:28 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, December 23, 2026 (01:28 UTC on December 24). It is the closest full moon of the entire year at roughly 356,700 km from Earth, making it a supermoon and the last one of 2026 — and it lands two nights before Christmas. The date subtlety matters: in universal time the full moment falls on December 24, but in every U.S. time zone it happens on the evening of December 23. To the eye, the moon will look full for three nights, December 22 through 24, and on Christmas night it will still be 94% illuminated, rising right around dinnertime. This is the brightest the December sky gets all month.
Federal Holidays 2026 and 2027: Complete Calendar, Observed Dates & Long Weekends
The United States observes 11 federal holidays in both 2026 and 2027, and the next one up as of early September 2026 is Labor Day — Monday, September 7, 2026 — followed by Columbus Day on Monday, October 12. The full 2026 list runs from New Year's Day (Thursday, January 1) through Christmas Day (Friday, December 25), and 2027's calendar answers its three weekend collisions in advance: Juneteenth is observed Friday, June 18; Independence Day is observed Monday, July 5; and Christmas is observed Friday, December 24. Eight of 2026's eleven holidays create three-day weekends — 2027 manages nine — because the observed-date rule shifts weekend holidays to adjacent weekdays. This page is the complete reference: both full calendars, the shift rules explained, who actually closes, and the naming myths the calendar industry keeps printing wrong.
How Many Days Until Christmas 2026? Live Countdown and the Full December Run
Christmas 2026 falls on Friday, December 25 — a Friday Christmas for the first time since 2020, with Christmas Eve on Thursday the 24th and a natural three-day weekend (December 25-27) that needs no bridge day. The countdown math depends on when you are reading — on November 1 it stands at 54 days, on December 1 at 24 — and the ticking counter below gives today's exact number, while the milestone table underneath anchors the big waypoints — Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, the Geminid meteor shower, the winter solstice, and the Cold Moon supermoon two nights before Christmas.
Halloween 2026: The Saturday Halloween — Full Moon, Fall-Back Night, and Everything in Between
Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31, 2026 — the first Saturday Halloween since 2020 and the last until 2037. A weekend Halloween changes everything: trick-or-treat runs later, parties don't face a school night, and the night itself gets longer, because daylight saving time ends the very next morning. When the clock hits 2:00 AM on Sunday, November 1, it falls back to 1:00 AM — meaning the witching hour of Halloween night, 2026 edition, happens twice.
Election Day 2026: Date, Poll Closing Times by State, and When Results Arrive
Election Day 2026 is Tuesday, November 3, 2026 — the U.S. midterm elections, with all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and governorships in 36 states on the ballot. It is also, quietly, the largest time-zone event on the American calendar: the country's six time zones produce six different poll-closing moments, spread across seven hours, and Election Night unfolds as a wave that follows the sun westward.
Hanukkah 2026: When It Starts, Candle-Lighting Times, and Why It's Early
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026, and runs for eight nights, ending after nightfall on Saturday, December 12. This year's festival carries a quirk that comes around only occasionally: the first night falls on Erev Shabbat, so the first candles are lit before the Shabbat candles — before sundown — and the second night waits until Havdalah, after Shabbat ends. The eighth night, on Friday, December 11, lands on the eve of Shabbat too.
When to Start Thawing a Turkey: Exact Dates for Thanksgiving 2026
Thanksgiving 2026 is Thursday, November 26. If your bird is frozen, the freezer-to-fridge move happens days earlier than most people think: a 16-pound turkey needs to enter the refrigerator on Sunday, November 22, and a 24-pounder goes in on Friday, November 20. The USDA rule is 24 hours of fridge time for every 4 to 5 pounds, and the mistake that wrecks Thanksgiving dinner isn't overcooking. It's discovering a rock-hard bird on Thursday morning with eight hours of guests-inbound time and a kitchen full of plans.
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Frequently Asked Questions
This is an interactive and printable calendar tool that allows you to view any month of any year. It also integrates national, religious, and cultural holidays from various countries around the world.
Use the dropdown menus at the top of the calendar to select your desired month and year. You can also use the left and right arrow buttons to navigate one month at a time.
Yes. Use the 'Select Country' dropdown to choose a country. The calendar will automatically update to show the public holidays for that nation, color-coded by type.
Once you have the desired month and country selected, simply click the 'Print' button. This will open your browser's print dialog with a clean, printer-friendly version of the calendar.
Each color corresponds to a different type of holiday (e.g., National Holiday, Religious, Observance). A legend is displayed above the calendar to explain what each color represents.
Yes, the tool attempts to detect your country based on your browser's location data and will set it as the default. You can easily change it using the country selector.
Our holiday data is comprehensive but may not include all regional or local holidays. We focus on nationally recognized public holidays and significant observances.
This tool is designed for viewing and printing pre-populated holidays. It does not currently support adding personal events. It is meant to be a static, printable reference.
You can generate a calendar for a 50-year range, centered around the current year. This is useful for both future planning and historical reference.
It's essential for planning travel, scheduling international business meetings, and for educational purposes to understand different cultures and avoid conflicts with public closures.
Yes, our Custom Calendar is completely free to use for generating and printing as many calendars as you need.
The calendar is designed with a standard layout that fits well on both A4 and US Letter paper sizes, in either portrait or landscape orientation, depending on your printer settings.
This version of the calendar focuses on dates and holidays and does not display week numbers. For that, you can use our dedicated Week Number Calculator.
Our holiday data is reviewed and updated annually to ensure accuracy and to include any newly established public holidays.
An 'Observance' is a day that is widely recognized and celebrated for a specific reason but is not typically a formal public holiday where businesses are closed.
The calendar is responsive, but for the best view of a full month, we recommend using it on a tablet or desktop computer, or printing it out for a physical copy.
You can 'print' the calendar to a PDF file. In your browser's print dialog, choose 'Save as PDF' or 'Print to PDF' as the destination instead of a physical printer.
This refers to an international day of observance designated by the United Nations to draw attention to a particular issue or theme of global importance.
While we aim for accuracy with official national holidays, you can contact us with suggestions, and we will review them for inclusion in our next annual update.
The current date is highlighted with a distinct background color to help you quickly orient yourself within the calendar month.