When and the place to look in 2023: As seen from across the globe, search for the intense, spherical full supermoon rising within the east at sundown on September 28. It’ll glow highest within the sky close to midnight, and drop low within the west earlier than dawn on September 29. That is the full moon closest to the equinox and so we name it a Harvest Moon.
Crest of the full moon falls at 9:57 UTC (4:57 a.m. CDT) on September 29, 2023. So many will say that the full moon – and the Harvest Moon – falls on September 29. That’s equally true and legitimate!
The 2023 tremendous Harvest Moon will lie between two vivid planets. Golden Saturn will rise over an hour earlier than the full moon and journey forward of it within the sky by means of the night time. Our solar system’s largest planet, very vivid Jupiter, will rise about 90 minutes after the moon. See the chart above. And test Stellarium.org for a exact view out of your location.
Harvest Moon isn’t only a title. It denotes a time of yr when the full moon – as seen from the Northern Hemisphere – has particular traits. Discover out extra concerning the Harvest Moon beneath, or try our video.
Harvest Moon is particular
We within the Northern Hemisphere have lengthy known as the full moon closest to the September equinox by the title Harvest Moon. That title – Harvest Moon – may be one of the best identified full moon name of the yr. This yr, the September equinox happens at 6:50 UTC (1:50 a.m. CDT) on September 23, 2023. The full moon falls about six days later.
What’s particular a couple of Harvest Moon? As seen throughout Earth, the moon on common rises about 50 minutes later every day, because it orbits Earth. However in mid-to-late September – for mid-latitudes within the Northern Hemisphere – that moonrise time drops to twenty minutes later every day across the time of full moon. The upper the latitude, the shorter the interval between successive moonrises.
September full moon and the ecliptic
Why? It’s as a result of the ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets throughout our sky – makes a slender angle with the japanese horizon close to sundown, across the time of the autumn equinox. For Northern Hemisphere observers, which means September or October. For Southern Hemisphere observers, it means March or April. The slender angle of the ecliptic to the night horizon – across the time of the autumn equinox – offers us the quick interval between successive moonrises and the Harvest Moon.
Click here for a printable calendar showing the time of moonrise for your location
And a brief interval between successive moonrises signifies that – for a number of evenings in a row, across the time of this September full moon – you’ll discover a full or almost full-looking moon low within the east in night twilight. Earlier than the times of electrical lights, the early night mild of this full moon let farmers working within the fields have extra time to work, earlier than darkness settled. Therefore, the title Harvest Moon.
And, by the best way, for the Southern Hemisphere at this full moon, there’s a very lengthy interval between successive moonrises!
It’s additionally a supermoon
Sure, the September full moon is one other supermoon. As you may recall, the final three full moons had been supermoons as nicely. The truth is, the September Harvest Moon is the final of four supermoons in a row for 2023.
How shut is it? The moon shall be 224,658 miles (361,552 km) away. Comparatively, the typical distance between Earth and the moon is 238,900 miles (384,472 km). So – whereas the September 28-29 full moon may not look greater to the attention – it’ll certainly look brighter than a mean full moon.
And naturally because it’s nearer than normal it’ll even be pulling tougher, through gravity, on Earth’s oceans. Individuals who stay close to an ocean may discover significantly excessive tides within the day or so after this full moon.
September full moon lies in Pisces
The September Harvest full moon all the time lies in entrance of one among three constellations of the zodiac. Most years, it lies in Pisces the Fish, because it does this yr. About each three years, although, it’ll lie in Aquarius the Water Bearer, because it did final yr. Very occasionally – as soon as about each 20 years – it’ll fall within the less-familiar constellation mendacity to their south, Cetus the Whale.
Backside line: The Harvest Full Moon – and final of 4 full supermoons in 2023 – occurs in a single day on September 28-29, 2023, for us within the Americas. This full moon lies in entrance of the constellation Pisces. And it lies between two planets, very vivid Jupiter and golden Saturn.
Want to see 2023’s brightest supermoon? Photos here
Read more: Does a supermoon have a super effect on us?
