WHAT IS A HARVEST MOON?

[elleng]

HARVEST MOON FACTS AND INFORMATION

There are 12 Moon cycles every year, and the Harvest Moon is the full Moon nearest the start of fall or the autumnal equinox. This usually means it’s the September full Moon though it can also fall in early October, coming anywhere from two weeks before to two weeks after the equinox.
WHAT MAKES THE HARVEST MOON DIFFERENT?
The Harvest Moon isn’t like the other Moons. Usually, throughout the year, the Moon rises an average of about 50 minutes later each day. But near the autumnal equinox, the difference is only 30 minutes.
Also,the Full Harvest Moon rises at sunset and then will rise near sunset for several nights in a row because the difference is at a yearly minimum. It may almost seem as if there are full Moons multiple nights in a row!
The abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening was a traditional aide to harvest crews, hence the “Harvest” Moon. Now you know!
THE 2016 HARVEST MOON ECLIPSE
This year, the day the Harvest Moon rises also brings a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. On Friday, September 16, 2016, The Old Farmer’s Almanac will partner with Slooh’s global network of observatories to broadcast this event to the world. Click to this page for the show. http://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-september

http://www.almanac.com/content/what-harvest-moon

[forest444]

1. Here´s to her:

[OregonBlue]

2. In the fall we are seeing the moon on the horizon through about 3 times as much atmospheric

distance as when it is directly overhead. In the fall, many farmers are harvesting their crops. Lots of dust from the soil of the crops gets disturbed. The dust floats into the atmosphere. At the same time, the moon is lower in the sky during the fall season (thus giving us the long distance through the atmosphere view). So if there's more dust in the sky and the moon is closer to the horizon, then what color will the moon be? Orange! That's where "Harvest Moon" gets its name.

For those who live in farming communities we can definitely say the moon is killer big and orange this time of year. So beautiful.