Harvest Moon and autumn equinox
Right here within the Northern Hemisphere, we name the full moon closest to the September equinox by the name Harvest Moon. In 2023, the equinox fell on September 23. The full moon will fall almost six days later, in a single day on September 28-29. So, for the Northern Hemisphere, this full moon – the full moon closest to our autumn equinox – is our Harvest Moon.
Need a precise time? The crest of the September 2023 full moon falls at 9:57 UTC (4:57 a.m. CDT) on September 29, 2023. More details on the September 2023 super Harvest Moon here.
Relying on the yr, the total Harvest Moon can happen anyplace from two weeks earlier than the autumn equinox to 2 weeks after. So it may possibly are available in both September or October. The Harvest Moon is both the final full moon of the summer season season, or the primary full moon in autumn.
This yr, the September full moon is the primary of the season’s three full moons. That’s the primary full moon of autumn for the Northern Hemisphere, and the primary spring full moon for the Southern Hemisphere.
What makes the Harvest Moon particular?
Harvest Moon is only a identify. In some methods, it’s like every other full moon name. However these autumn full moons do have particular traits associated to the time of moonrise. Nature is especially cooperative in giving us dusk-till-dawn moonlight for a number of evenings in a row across the time of the Harvest Moon.
All full moons rise round sundown. And, typically talking, the moon rises about 50 minutes later every day, because it strikes in orbit round Earth. However when a full moon occurs near an autumn equinox, the moon on the next nights rises nearer to the time of sundown. For mid-temperate latitudes, the moon rises solely about 20 to 25 minutes later day by day for a number of days earlier than and after the total Harvest Moon.
For very excessive northern latitudes, there’s even much less time between successive moonrises. The farther north you reside, the higher the Harvest Moon impact. As an example, at Anchorage, Alaska (61 degrees north latitude), the moon will rise at almost the identical time for per week!
The distinction between 50 minutes and 25 minutes won’t seem to be a lot. However it signifies that, within the nights after a full Harvest Moon, you’ll see the moon ascending within the east comparatively quickly after sundown. The moon will rise throughout or close to deepening twilight on these nights, presenting dusk-till-dawn moonlight for a number of nights in a row across the time of the Harvest Moon.
Click here for a printable calendar showing the time of moonrise for your location
Is the Harvest Moon larger, or brighter or extra colourful?
As a result of the moon’s orbit round Earth isn’t an ideal circle, the Harvest Moon’s distance from Earth – and obvious measurement in our sky – differs from yr to yr. In 2019, the Harvest Moon was truly a micro-moon or mini-moon: essentially the most distant and smallest full moon of that yr. And – in 2015 – the Harvest Moon was the yr’s closest and largest supermoon of the yr.
So, the total Harvest Moon isn’t essentially nearer than every other full moon. However it is likely to be. The moon’s distance at full moon varies from yr to yr. In 2023, the Harvest Moon is a full supermoon, however not the closest supermoon for the yr.
Nonetheless, in any yr, you may assume the Harvest Moon seems to be larger or brighter or extra orange. That’s as a result of the Harvest Moon has such a robust mystique. Many individuals search for it shortly after sundown across the time of full moon. After sundown across the time of any full moon, the moon will all the time be close to the horizon. It’ll have simply risen. It’s the placement of the moon close to the horizon that causes the Harvest Moon – or any full moon – to look large and orange in colour.
A giant moon seen close to the horizon is present process a psychological impact. It’s a trick your eyes are taking part in – an phantasm – known as the moon illusion. You could find many prolonged explanations of the moon phantasm by doing a web based seek for these phrases.
Orange colour resulting from thickness of Earth’s ambiance close to horizon
By the way in which, the orange colour of a moon close to the horizon isn’t a psychological impact. It’s a real bodily impact, which stems from the truth that – once you look towards a horizon – you’re wanting via a higher thickness of Earth’s ambiance than once you gaze up and overhead.
Southern Hemisphere moons, and Blue Moons
For the Southern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon all the time is available in March or early April. It final happened on March 18, 2022, and can subsequent occur March 25, 2024. However, it’s our understanding that the Southern Hemisphere doesn’t identify its full moons as we do within the Northern Hemisphere. Are you aware? If that’s the case, inform us your ideas on Southern Hemisphere full moon names within the feedback beneath.
Read more: Full moon names by month and season
Most frequently, a season has three full moons. Having 4 full moons in a single season is sort of atypical. Subsequently, some individuals seek advice from the third of those 4 full moons as a seasonal Blue Moon. The subsequent seasonal Blue Moon might be August 19, 2024.
Seasonal Blue Moons preceded what’s now a greater recognized definition. By popular acclaim, most regard a Blue Moon because the second of two full moons in a single calendar month. In reality, in a single day on August 30-31, 2023, we had a full Blue Moon supermoon.
How did the Harvest Moon get its identify?
The shorter-than-usual lag time between moonrises across the full Harvest Moon means no lengthy interval of darkness between sundown and moonrise for days in succession.
Within the days earlier than tractor lights, the lamp of the Harvest Moon helped farmers collect their crops regardless of the diminishing sunlight hours. Because the sun’s mild pale within the west, the moon would quickly rise within the east to light up the fields all through the night time.
Who named the Harvest Moon? That identify most likely sprang to the lips of farmers all through the Northern Hemisphere, on autumn evenings, because the Harvest Moon aided in bringing within the crops.
The identify was popularized within the early twentieth century by the tune beneath.
Shine On Harvest Moon
By Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth (1903)
Shine on, shine on harvest moon
Up within the sky,
I ain’t had no lovin’
Since January, February, June or July
Snow time ain’t no time to remain
Outdoor and spoon,
So shine on, shine on harvest moon,
For me and my gal.
And don’t miss this more moderen model of the tune by Leon Redbone.
Backside line: In line with skylore, the closest full moon to the autumn equinox is the Harvest Moon. In 2023, the autumnal equinox for the Northern Hemisphere comes on September 23. So this hemisphere’s Harvest Moon comes on September 28-29.
More details on the September 2023 super Harvest Moon here.
