Is the September Harvest Moon the most famous full moon of the year? OK, so this is not a super blue blood moon eclipse, but like the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox, there is something special in our brilliant satellite Sunday and Monday.
So, what is a Harvest Moon and how can you see it? Here is everything you need to know.
Why does the September full moon call Harvest Moon?
It's all about timing. Every 27.3 days, the orbit of the moon puts the Earth between itself and the sun, making the moon's surface as bright as possible, as seen from the Earth. Thanks to the intense brightness of the Harvest Moon, farmers have always been able to work in the fields late at night to pick up the September crops.
For the same reason, the harvest moon was also called the corn moon. However, it is not only the brightness of the moon, but the moment she gets up and goes to bed. During a full moon – and for a day or two on each side – our satellite rises above the eastern horizon near sunset to the west and shines all night, flowing to the west when the sun rises in the morning Morning.
A full moon, also a harvest moon, passes over thunderclouds near Encinitas, California on September 8, 2014. REUTERS / Mike Blake
When is the harvest moon?
The 2018 Harvest Moon takes place precisely at 10:53 EDT on Monday, September 24, 2018. That day, the sun will set west in New York City at 6:49 pm. EDT and the Harvest Moon will rise east at 7:01 am, 99% light. It will be visible all night at 07:03 EDT on Tuesday, September 25th. The sun comes up at 6:46 AM EDT.
How to watch Harvest Moon
Because of its proximity to the autumnal equinox, there are several possibilities to catch the moon of the harvest. Normally, the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day. However, in the week at the autumn equinox, celestial mechanics reduces this duration to about half an hour. So, you can as well watch an almost full moon near sundown on Sunday, September 23rd, when she gets up at 6:33 pm. EDT, just before sunset at 18:51 EDT.
The harvest moon shines above Washington, D.C. Bill Ingalls / NASA via Getty Images
How to see the harvest moon
The moon of harvest, like all full moons, will be better observed at sunrise and at sunset, respectively near sunset and sunrise. Indeed, once the moon has risen to about 10 degrees above the horizon, it is too bright to be able to observe it comfortably.
Although it is possible to obtain a lunar filter for a small telescope, all full moons give off much too much glare to be able to look long at the naked eye. However, before it exceeds 10 degrees in the sky to the east, it is a pale orange color that then becomes pale yellow before lighting up. It's the best time to look at it, not only because you'll be able to see more details, but because it's so low in the sky, it's likely to be visible between buildings or above the mountains. It just makes a show more interesting. For the same reasons, a full sunset is also a stunning sight.
The harvest moon is the most awaited full moon of the calendar year. Mike Lawrie / Getty Images
When is the next full moon?
The next full moon will be on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at 12:45 EDT, precisely 27.3 days after the Harvest Moon. The full moon of October is often called the Hunter's Moon, as Native Americans and European settlers used moonlight to hunt in anticipation of a long winter. However, you may be tempted to watch our satellite a few days before the hunter's moon as Saturday, October 20, 2018 is the Night of International Observation.
