Tag: harvest moon

Out With the Harvest, In With the Hunt

The International Observe the Moon Night is happening Oct. 5!

In the wake of the beautiful Harvest Moon seen Sept. 14, Earth’s satellite now enters its waning phase, shrinking slice by slice into a visible semicircle as the rotating Earth spins around the Sun and its shadow is cast past us onto the Moon.

This period of waxing or waning is commonly known as a “gibbous” period, a term meaning “convex” or “rounded.” The term originated in the 15th century, though the Oxford English Dictionary suggests it was first applied to describe the Moon in 1690.

Gradually, over the coming month, the Moon will cycle toward its next full period – the Hunter’s Moon, also known as the Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon, due in mid-October. Various Native American tribes gave the Moon this name to reflect the falling leaves of autumn and the fattening of deer and other animals to prepare for the winter to come.

Speaking of coming events, the International Observe the Moon Night is happening Oct. 5! Learn more about NASA’s plans and how you can join in the fun here.

Look For The Harvest Moon This Weekend

Take a moment to gaze at the beautiful harvest moon this Saturday, September 29th.

(Image credit: NASA)

The harvest moon gets its name from agriculture. In the days before electric lights, farmers depended on bright moonlight to extend the workday beyond sunset. It was the only way they could gather their ripening crops in time for market. The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox became “the harvest moon,” and it was always a welcome sight.

Northern summer changed to fall last Saturday, Sept. 22nd, and is called the autumnal equinox. The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night.” The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

Keep an eye on the moon as it creeps above the eastern skyline. The golden sphere may appear inflated. This is the moon illusion at work. This optical illusion is caused by the moon’s proximity to distant objects. A harvest moon inflated by the moon illusion is simply beautiful to us, but even more so to the farmers getting their crops in on those cool autumn evenings.

(Image credit: Stefano De Rosa)