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The British sky was endowed with a glittering moon appearing larger than usual last night while the Harvest Moon was rising.
Rising every year in September, the Harvest Moon is the full moon that comes closest to the autumn equinox.
Sunday, September 23 was the first official day of autumn and the autumn equinox marked the official end of summer and early fall.
The name Harvest Moon refers to the pre-industrial era, when the Harvest Moon turned on the ever-increasing sky.
The moon lit the sky for those who were harvesting crops and cutting firewood in anticipation of the winter months.
Why was the moon so bright?
The harvest moon was not necessarily brighter or larger than usual, but the coloring of the celestial orb could make it look larger than usual.
According to EarthSky.com, "the orange color of a moon near the horizon is a real physical effect.
"This stems from the fact that when you look towards the horizon, you observe a greater thickness of the Earth's atmosphere than when you look at it and hover over it."
"The larger size than usual of a moon seen near the horizon is quite another thing.
"It's a trick that your eyes play – an illusion – called the Moon illusion. "
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