UNITED STATES: ‘Harvest moon’ will be visible this coming weekend. On Saturday, September 10, the moon will be at its fullest early in the day.
This full moon won’t be a supermoon, in contrast to the previous four. The moon will illuminate the night sky for a few evenings and appear full to the unaided eye for about three days.
September full moon
The most popular name for the September full moon is ‘Harvest moon.’
The ‘Harvest moon’ is the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox or the first day of fall. Although it usually occurs in September, it can occasionally wait until the beginning of October.
According to NASA, the phrase ‘Harvest moon’ was first used in English for a full moon in 1706. As the name implies, it has to do with harvesting crops as the winter months draw near.
Prior to the development of artificial lighting, many farmers worked into the night. The full moon’s illumination helped them see what they were doing and gave them a little extra work time.
Other names of the ‘Harvest moon’, according to NASA, include the fruit moon (because many fruit trees are bearing ripe fruit) and the barley moon (because many farmers are harvesting their barley crops at this time of year).
A similar, harvest-related name knew the moon among the Algonquin Native American group. According to NASA, a tribe in the northeastern United States called the September full moon the ‘corn moon’ according to data in the Maine Farmer’s Almanac. As you might expect, it is because maize fields, a staple of their nutrition, are beginning to ripen.
Timing of Harvest moon
The moon will reach its full ‘Harvest’ phase at 5:59 a.m. on Saturday.
At that time, the moon will have already begun to set. On September 10, at 6:57 a.m., it will rise in the west-southwest sky.
Even though Saturday is when the sun will be fully illuminated, it will appear bright and almost full for around three days. The moon will be about full when the moon rises on Friday night, rising in the east-southeastern sky around 7:47 p.m.
On Saturday night, the moon will rise again, appearing full to the unaided eye. Sunday at 8:10 a.m., it will rise in the eastern sky at 8:12 and set at 8:12.
Full moon vs Super moon
According to NASA, a supermoon is a full moon that occurs simultaneously as the moon’s perigee. The perigee is the location in the moon’s orbit where it is closest to the Earth. The moon orbits the Earth in about 27 days.
Each 27-day lunar cycle has a perigee or the point at which the moon is closest to Earth and an apogee, or the point at which it is furthest from Earth.
The moon must be 90% or closer to its perigee for a full moon to be deemed a supermoon. On September 7 of the current moon cycle, perigee was attained.
This full moon will rise two days and fifteen hours after the perigee. The moon will not be a supermoon at that time because it will be outside the 90% window.
According to NASA, there are normally three to four supermoons annually, usually occurring back-to-back. The moon will appear about 17% bigger and around 30% brighter during a full moon that comes during the moon’s perigee, or closest point.
Also Read: Don’t Miss the Last Super Moon Of the Year
