Solunar calendar
The major and minor periods for every day of the month and the activity rating from solunar theory, for your coastal spot or for any coordinates. With the moon phase, sunrise and sunset, in the place’s local time.
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Chosen place: Charleston · South Carolina, United States
Solunar calendar for Charleston, October 2026
| Day | Moon | Major periods | Minor periods | Sun | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 | Waning gibbous 71% | 4:06–6:06 am4:38–6:38 pm | 12:12–1:12 pm10:01–11:01 pm | Rises 7:14 am Sets 7:04 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Fri 2 | Waning gibbous 60% | 5:09–7:09 am5:40–7:40 pm | 1:17–2:17 pm11:05 pm–12:05 am | Rises 7:15 am Sets 7:03 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Sat 3 | Last quarter 49% | 6:12–8:12 am6:42–8:42 pm | 2:14–3:14 pm | Rises 7:15 am Sets 7:02 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Sun 4 | Waning crescent 38% | 7:12–9:12 am7:40–9:40 pm | 12:14–1:14 am3:02–4:02 pm | Rises 7:16 am Sets 7:00 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Mon 5 | Waning crescent 27% | 8:08–10:08 am8:34–10:34 pm | 1:24–2:24 am3:42–4:42 pm | Rises 7:17 am Sets 6:59 pm | Low○○○Low activity (0 of 3 points) |
| Tue 6 | Waning crescent 18% | 8:59–10:59 am9:24–11:24 pm | 2:33–3:33 am4:16–5:16 pm | Rises 7:17 am Sets 6:58 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Wed 7 | Waning crescent 10% | 9:48–11:48 am10:11 pm–12:11 am | 3:39–4:39 am4:47–5:47 pm | Rises 7:18 am Sets 6:56 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Thu 8 | Waning crescent 5% | 10:34 am–12:34 pm10:56 pm–12:56 am | 4:43–5:43 am5:15–6:15 pm | Rises 7:19 am Sets 6:55 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Fri 9Best | Waning crescent 1% | 11:18 am–1:18 pm11:41 pm–1:41 am | 5:46–6:46 am5:43–6:43 pm | Rises 7:19 am Sets 6:54 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Sat 10Best | New moon 0% | 12:03–2:03 pm | 6:47–7:47 am6:11–7:11 pm | Rises 7:20 am Sets 6:53 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Sun 11Best | Waxing crescent 1% | 12:26–2:26 am12:48–2:48 pm | 7:49–8:49 am6:42–7:42 pm | Rises 7:21 am Sets 6:51 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Mon 12 | Waxing crescent 4% | 1:12–3:12 am1:36–3:36 pm | 8:50–9:50 am7:16–8:16 pm | Rises 7:22 am Sets 6:50 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Tue 13 | Waxing crescent 9% | 2:00–4:00 am2:25–4:25 pm | 9:51–10:51 am7:54–8:54 pm | Rises 7:22 am Sets 6:49 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Wed 14 | Waxing crescent 16% | 2:50–4:50 am3:15–5:15 pm | 10:50–11:50 am8:38–9:38 pm | Rises 7:23 am Sets 6:48 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Thu 15 | Waxing crescent 23% | 3:41–5:41 am4:07–6:07 pm | 11:46 am–12:46 pm9:26–10:26 pm | Rises 7:24 am Sets 6:47 pm | Low○○○Low activity (0 of 3 points) |
| Fri 16 | Waxing crescent 32% | 4:32–6:32 am4:58–6:58 pm | 12:37–1:37 pm10:20–11:20 pm | Rises 7:25 am Sets 6:45 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Sat 17 | First quarter 41% | 5:23–7:23 am5:48–7:48 pm | 1:23–2:23 pm11:17 pm–12:17 am | Rises 7:25 am Sets 6:44 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Sun 18 | First quarter 50% | 6:13–8:13 am6:37–8:37 pm | 2:02–3:02 pm | Rises 7:26 am Sets 6:43 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Mon 19 | First quarter 60% | 7:00–9:00 am7:23–9:23 pm | 12:15–1:15 am2:37–3:37 pm | Rises 7:27 am Sets 6:42 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Tue 20 | Waxing gibbous 69% | 7:45–9:45 am8:08–10:08 pm | 1:15–2:15 am3:08–4:08 pm | Rises 7:28 am Sets 6:41 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Wed 21 | Waxing gibbous 78% | 8:30–10:30 am8:51–10:51 pm | 2:14–3:14 am3:37–4:37 pm | Rises 7:29 am Sets 6:40 pm | Low○○○Low activity (0 of 3 points) |
| Thu 22 | Waxing gibbous 86% | 9:13–11:13 am9:35–11:35 pm | 3:14–4:14 am4:04–5:04 pm | Rises 7:29 am Sets 6:39 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Fri 23 | Waxing gibbous 92% | 9:57–11:57 am10:20 pm–12:20 am | 4:14–5:14 am4:32–5:32 pm | Rises 7:30 am Sets 6:38 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Sat 24 | Waxing gibbous 97% | 10:44 am–12:44 pm11:08 pm–1:08 am | 5:17–6:17 am5:02–6:02 pm | Rises 7:31 am Sets 6:36 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Sun 25Best | Full moon 100% | 11:33 am–1:33 pm11:59 pm–1:59 am | 6:23–7:23 am5:34–6:34 pm | Rises 7:32 am Sets 6:35 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Mon 26Best | Full moon 100% | 12:26–2:26 pm | 7:33–8:33 am6:13–7:13 pm | Rises 7:33 am Sets 6:34 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Tue 27 | Waning gibbous 97% | 12:55–2:55 am1:25–3:25 pm | 8:46–9:46 am6:58–7:58 pm | Rises 7:33 am Sets 6:33 pm | High●●●High activity (3 of 3 points) |
| Wed 28Today | Waning gibbous 91% | 1:55–3:55 am2:27–4:27 pm | 9:59–10:59 am7:53–8:53 pm | Rises 7:34 am Sets 6:32 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Thu 29 | Waning gibbous 84% | 2:59–4:59 am3:32–5:32 pm | 11:08 am–12:08 pm8:56–9:56 pm | Rises 7:35 am Sets 6:31 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Fri 30 | Waning gibbous 74% | 4:04–6:04 am4:35–6:35 pm | 12:08–1:08 pm10:05–11:05 pm | Rises 7:36 am Sets 6:30 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
| Sat 31 | Waning gibbous 64% | 5:06–7:06 am5:36–7:36 pm | 1:00–2:00 pm11:16 pm–12:16 am | Rises 7:37 am Sets 6:30 pm | Medium●○○Medium activity (1 of 3 points) |
Major periods: 2 h around the moon’s transit. Minor periods: 1 h around moonrise and moonset. Best: the five days of the month with the most activity. Local times (America/New York).
Best days in Charleston in October 2026
- Friday, October 9: major periods 11:18 am–1:18 pm · 11:41 pm–1:41 am
- Saturday, October 10: major periods 12:03–2:03 pm
- Sunday, October 11: major periods 12:26–2:26 am · 12:48–2:48 pm
- Sunday, October 25: major periods 11:33 am–1:33 pm · 11:59 pm–1:59 am
- Monday, October 26: major periods 12:26–2:26 pm
At sea, the tide matters more than the moon: moving water moves the food. For a coastal spot, check its fishing page, which combines tide, solunar, sun and weather into a single score. Charleston ›
How to use it
- Search for your coastal spot or type coordinates (for a lake, a river or offshore).
- Pick the month. Each row is a day: major periods in orange, minor ones in blue.
- High-activity days are the best according to the theory: close to the new or full moon and with a period at sunrise or sunset.
How it is calculated
Solunar theory was put forward by the American John Alden Knight in 1926: fish and game move more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot and when it rises or sets.
Major periods last about 2 hours, centered on the moon crossing the meridian (overhead or underfoot). Minor periods last 1 hour, centered on moonrise and moonset.
The day’s activity adds up points: 2 if the moon is within 25° of new or full (1 if within 55°) and 1 more if a period falls within an hour and a half of sunrise or sunset. 2 or more is high; 1, medium; 0, low.
major = moon transit ± 1 h minor = moonrise or moonset ± 30 min
Frequently asked questions
Does solunar theory work?
Some anglers swear by it and some studies find no effect. What is well established is that many fish feed more at dawn and dusk and on a moving tide. Use it to choose between two similar days or times.
What is the difference between a major and a minor period?
A major period lasts about 2 hours and matches the moon passing overhead or underfoot. A minor one lasts 1 hour and matches moonrise or moonset. According to the theory, majors are better.
Why do the times change every day?
Because the moon rises and crosses the meridian about 50 minutes later each day. In a week the periods shift by about 6 hours.
Does it work for freshwater and hunting?
Yes: the theory is about animals in general and does not depend on the tide. For a lake or a river, use coordinates instead of a coastal spot.
Are the times in my time zone?
They are local times for the chosen place, daylight saving time included. With coordinates, they use the time zone you pick.
More tools
- Moon calendarEvery moon phase of the year, eclipses, supermoons and the best fishing days. Printable too.
- Sunrise and sunsetSunrise, sunset, twilight and golden hour for any place.
- Tide height at a given timeHow high the water will be at the time you pick, whether it is rising or falling and how long until high tide.
- Tide coefficient calculatorThe tide coefficient for any place and day, or from the tidal range, with the 20–120 scale explained.
All of this, already worked out for your spot
Every coastal town, beach and harbor has its own page with today’s tide, the yearly tide table, sun, moon and the best time to fish.
Where the data comes from
Our own calculation of sun and moon rise, set and transits with astronomy-engine, for the chosen place at sea level.
Spotted a mistake? Tell us · How we calculate tides, sun and moon