Harvest Moon Friday Provides Extra Evening Light This-Coming Weekend

 

The Harvest Moon often appears orange in color due to Rayleigh Scattering of sunlight from the Moon, which occurs whenever the Moon is near the horizon. The Harvest Moon always rises around the time of local sunset. (Image Sources: Wikipedia.org, By The original uploader was Roadcrusher at English Wikipedia. - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Khayman using CommonsHelper., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15755496)

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

More evening light, coming just after the earlier sunsets of late Summer and early Autumn, occur with the Harvest Moon (the Full Moon of September) and a few days near the day of this Full Moon (weather-permitting). Traditionally, this time of year helped give farmers more light in the evening as they work to harvest their crops before the coming Winter. However, anyone can take advantage of this extra evening light, as the early Autumn evenings continue with moderate temperatures.

For this year, the Harvest Moon will be the Full Moon of Friday Morning, 2023 September 29, at 5:57 a.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / 9:57 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Of course, the Harvest Moon becomes visible (weather-permitting) in the vicinity of the time of sunset on the days around the day of Full Moon.

For farmers eager to finish harvesting their crops, the bright Full Moon which shines on their farms for the several evenings closest to the Autumnal Equinox is called the Harvest Moon. This year the Autumnal Equinox, the beginning of the season of Autumn or Fall in the Earth's Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of the season of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere, occurred the previous Saturday Morning, 2023 September 23 at 2:50 a.m. EDT / 6:50 UTC.

The Harvest Moon is one of the signature astronomical events shortly before the beginning of, or shortly after the beginning of, the Fall season. It is an event particularly anticipated by farmers of both the past and the present. As many crops reach the time of harvest in late Summer and early Autumn, often the work of the harvest has to continue past sunset, which comes earlier and earlier each evening.

Nature has come to the rescue of these farmers, with a bright Full Moon (weather-permitting), which arrives just around the time of sunset, that allows farmers and their staff to continue the harvest after the Sun's direct light has dissipated. Hence, long-ago this Full Moon came to be known as the Harvest Moon.

For a similar reason, the Full Moon of October is often known as the Hunter's Moon, which allowed Native Americans to continue the hunt after sunset, to begin to store meat for the coming Winter months. However, the Harvest Moon is designated as the closest Full Moon to the Autumnal Equinox, and such a Full Moon does not always occur in September. Every few years the Harvest Moon occurs in October, shortly after the Autumnal Equinox. During those years, the Hunter's Moon occurs in November.

This year, the Hunter's Moon occurs on Saturday Afternoon, 2023 October 28 at 4:24 p.m. EDT / 20:24 UTC. Of course, the Hunter's Moon becomes visible (weather-permitting) in the vicinity of the time of sunset on the days around the day of Full Moon.

This year's Hunter's Moon comes with a bonus sky event---a Partial Eclipse of the Moon! Although, this Hunter's Moon Lunar Eclipse will primarily be visible in Earth's Eastern Hemisphere (weather-permitting).

On average, the Moon rises about 50 minutes later each day. However, during the days near the Autumnal Equinox, the Moon rises each day only about 25-to-35 minutes later each day in the U.S.A., and only 10-to-20 minutes later each day in much of Canada and Europe. Thus, for several days around the time of the Autumnal Equinox, the Harvest Moon appears to rise around the same time each evening (roughly coinciding with local sunset), providing light at the time most needed by farmers.

The reason for this is due to the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun, Moon, and planets through Earth's sky, which makes a narrow angle with the horizon this time of year. It is this narrow angle which provides that moonrise occurs around the time of sunset, near the time of the Full Moon of September (for the Harvest Moon) and near the time of the Full Moon of October (for the Hunter's Moon). Hence, several evenings (before darkness has fallen) appear to have a rising Full Moon.

Also, at this time of year when farmers need moonlight the most, the Harvest Moon appears larger and more prominent, due to the mysterious but well-known "Moon Illusion" that makes the Moon seem larger when it is near the horizon. And, while near the horizon, the Moon is often reddened by clouds and dust, creating the appearance of a large, rising red ball.

Some even liken a rising Harvest Moon to a rising "Great Pumpkin," of Peanuts comic-strip fame! In the Peanuts' network-television cartoon just before Halloween each year (originally aired on CBS-TV on 1966 October 27) titled, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", the “Great Pumpkin” rises over the pumpkin patch to provide gifts to all good little boys and girls.

In China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and other nations in East and Southeast Asia, a popular harvest festival is celebrated on the date close to the Autumnal Equinox of the Solar Cycle, as well as close to the Harvest Moon. This Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival dates back more than 3,000 years to Moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty.

Although Western Cultures consider September the beginning of Autumn (meteorologists and climatologists consider September 1 the beginning of Meteorological Autumn), the ancients often termed this as "Mid-Autumn". By this reckoning, Autumn actually began at the traditional Cross-Quarter Day of August 1 (when harvesting of wheat usually begins) and ends at the traditional Cross-Quarter Day of All-Hallow's Eve, also known as Halloween.

On the Chinese Han Calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month (on a day between September 8 and October 7 in our Gregorian Calendar). This usually falls on the night of a Full Moon, the Harvest Moon.

This year's Harvest Moon will also be the last so-called "Super-Moon" of 2023. A so-called "Super-Moon" occurs when the Full Moon is closer to the Earth than average, and hence, the Moon appears a little larger than average in the sky. This month's Lunar Perigee occurs a little over a day before the Harvest Moon - Wednesday Evening, 2023 September 27 at 9:00 p.m. EDT / September 28, 1:00 UTC: 223,638.327 statute miles / 359,911 kilometers distance of the Moon from Earth. 

Native Americans also called the Full Moon of September the Corn Moon or Barley Moon, as Corn and Barley were among their main crops. Sometimes, the September Full Moon in the Northern Hemisphere is also known as the Fruit Moon. Other Full Moon names for September include Chrysanthemum Moon (China), Singing Moon (Celtic), Nut Moon (American Indian - Cherokee), Mulberry Moon (American Indian - Choctaw), and Moon When the Calves Grow Hair (American Indian - Dakotah Sioux).

In the Southern Hemisphere, where Winter is turning to Spring, the September Full Moon is known as the Lenten Moon, Worm Moon, Crow Moon, Sugar Moon, Chaste Moon, or Sap Moon. Another Full Moon name for September includes Storm Moon (South Africa). 

The Harvest Moon in the Southern Hemisphere occurs in March or April, with the same advantages to Southern Hemisphere farmers as the Harvest Moon in the Northern Hemisphere.

Internet Links to Additional Info.orrmation ---

Harvest Moon: Link >>> https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/16sep_harvestmoon/ 

Native American Full Moon Names: Link >>> https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/full-moon-names/ 

Other Full Moon Names: Link >>> https://www.lunarphasepro.com/full-moon-names/

Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival

Related Blog-Post ---

"Fall Begins at Equinox This-Coming Weekend." Mon., 2023 Sept. 18.

Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2023/09/fall-begins-at-equinox-this-coming.html

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss          

               Monday, 2023 September 25.

                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator                                                               (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), America's fifth major planetarium and Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, the fourth of only five libraries where both construction and endowment funded by famous industrialist & philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

 * Other Walsh-Authored Blog & Web-Sites: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/gawweb.html

Fall Begins at Equinox This-Coming Weekend

    

This diagram shows the position of the Earth, in relation to the Sun, at the time of the Autumnal Equinox, as well as the other equinox and solstices of the year.

[Graphic Source: ©1999, Eric G. Canali, former Floor Operations Manager of the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science / Buhl Science Center (America's 5th major planetarium & Pittsburgh's science and technology museum from 1939 to 1991) and Founder of the South Hills Backyard Astronomers amateur astronomy club. Permission granted for non-profit use only, with credit to author.]

By Glenn A. Walsh

Reporting for SpaceWatchtower

The Autumnal Equinox early Saturday morning marks the end of the season of Summer and the beginning of Fall or Autumn in Earth's Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, this marks the transition from Winter to Spring.

The Autumnal Equinox (also known as the September Equinox), the end of Summer and the beginning of the season of Autumn or Fall in Earth's Northern Hemisphere, occurs Saturday Morning, 2023 September 23 at 2:50 a.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / 6:50 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). In the Southern Hemisphere, this moment marks the astronomical beginning of the season of Spring.

Autumn or Fall continues in the Northern Hemisphere, and Spring in the Southern Hemisphere, until the December Solstice: Thursday Evening, 2023 December 21 at 10:27 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) / December 22 at 3:27 UTC. At the moment of the December Solstice, Winter begins in the Northern Hemisphere and Summer begins in the Southern Hemisphere.

The approximate and traditional mid-way point between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice comes in the vicinity of October 31 (All-Hallows Eve or Halloween) / November 1 (All-Saints Day) / November 2 (All-Souls Day): the Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of Samhain or All-Hallowsmas. The actual November Cross-Quarter Day will be Tuesday Morning, 2023 November 7 at 11:18 a.m. EST / 16:18 UTC. The one-week discrepancy between the October 31 and November 7 dates is due to the fact that the traditional date of Samhain was fixed on October 31, when the Julian Calendar was still in use.

In ancient times, a calendar season was considered the time between one Cross-Quarter Day and the next Cross-Quarter Day. So, Autumn was considered the time between August 1 (Lughnasadh or Lammas Day), which was the traditional beginning of the wheat harvest, to October 31 (Samhain). Samhain actually means “Summer's end” as the Celtic calendar only considered two main seasons: Summer and Winter.

The Celtic peoples of Ireland began celebrations on Samhain in the 5^th century B.C. Samhain was considered by the Celtics and Druids on the British Isles as the end of the old year, with the following day the beginning of the New Year. In A.D, 835, the Roman Catholic Church named November 1 All-Saints Day with the previous day becoming All-Hallows Eve or Halloween, the eve or evening before All-Saints Day.

It is believed that in ancient times the Pleiades Star Cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters, culminated (climbed to the cluster's highest point in the sky) around Midnight local time on or near Samhain. Samhain and Pleiades Culmination would have occurred together around A.D. 11^th and 12^th centuries before the Gregorian Calendar was instituted. For the Pleiades Culmination to occur during the dark time of the year's end, many peoples felt this was a time to honor the dead. Although today Pleiades Culmination occurs on November 21, the Pleiades still can be seen high in the sky around local Midnight on Halloween, weather-permitting.

On the day of the Equinox, the Sun appears directly overhead at local Noon on the Equator. At the moment of Equinox, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of Earth are illuminated equally. And, the time of Equinox is the only time when the Earth Terminator (dividing line on Earth between daylight and darkness) is perpendicular to the Equator.

This, and the reason for seasons on Earth in the first place, is due to the fact that Earth rotates on its axis, which is tilted at an approximate 23.44-degree angle from the Ecliptic, the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun. As the Earth revolves around the Sun, this axial tilt causes one hemisphere of the planet to receive more direct solar radiation during that hemisphere's season of Summer and much less direct solar radiation about a half-year later during that hemisphere's season of Winter. As mentioned, during an Equinox [in the Northern Hemisphere: about half-way between Summer and Winter (Autumnal Equinox), and about half-way between Winter and Summer (Vernal Equinox)] both planetary hemispheres receive an equal amount of solar radiation. 

Although "Equinox" in Latin means equal-night, the day of the Equinox does not actually have an equal amount of daylight and nightfall, as it appears on the Earth's surface. If the Sun was just a pin-point of light in our sky, as all other stars appear, day and night would be equal.

But, because the Sun is a disk, part of the Sun has risen above the horizon before the center of the Sun (which would be the pin-point of light); so there are extra moments of light on the Equinox. Likewise, part of the Sun is still visible, after the center of the Sun has set.

Additionally, the refraction of sunlight by our atmosphere causes sunlight to appear above the horizon, before sunrise and after sunset.

Each year, September 25 or 26 (Sept. 26 in 2023) marks the Equilux ("equal-light"), the actual day with equal hours and minutes of the Sun above the horizon, and equal hours and minutes of the Sun below the horizon. The Equilux occurs twice each year, approximately 3-to-4 days before the Vernal Equinox, when Spring begins,  and 3-to-4 days after the Autumnal Equinox, after Autumn or Fall has begun.

An urban legend that has been making the rounds for decades has it that eggs can be stood on their ends only during an Equinox, whether the Vernal Equinox in the Spring or the Autumnal Equinox in the Fall. This is completely false. Depending greatly on the size and shape of the particular egg, eggs can be stood on their ends any day of the year! Astronomy has nothing to do with whether an egg can stand on its end. If an egg can stand on its end on the Equinox (and, due to the shape and size of some eggs, this is not even possible), it can stand the same way any other day of the year.

In the last few years, with the help of the Internet and Social Media, another urban legend has become prevalent. Now it is claimed that brooms can stand, on their own, on their bristles, only on an Equinox day. This is also false. Again, as with eggs, if a broom can stand on its bristles by itself (this usually only works with newer brooms, with more stiff and even bristles) on an Equinox, it can do so any day of the year!

In China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and other nations in East and Southeast Asia, a popular harvest festival is celebrated on the date close to the Autumnal Equinox of the Solar Cycle, as well as close to the Harvest Moon. This Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival dates back more than 3,000 years to Moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty.

Again, as Western Cultures consider September the beginning of Autumn (meteorologists and climatologists consider September 1 the beginning of Meteorological Autumn), the ancients often termed this as "Mid-Autumn". By this reckoning, Autumn actually began at the traditional Cross-Quarter Day of August 1 (when some harvesting actually begins) and ends at the traditional Cross-Quarter Day of All-Hallow's Eve, also known as Halloween.

On the Chinese Han Calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month (on a day between September 8 and October 7 in our Gregorian Calendar). This usually falls on the night of a Full Moon, the Harvest Moon. This year, the Harvest Moon occurs on Friday Morning, 2023 September 29 at 5:57 a.m. EDT / 9:57 UTC.

September 22 is designated as Falls Prevention Awareness Day.

Internet Links to Additional Information ---

Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival

Cross-Quarter Day: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_the_Year

Autumnal Equinox: Link >>> http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/astronomy/AutumnalEquinox.html

Season of Autumn or Fall: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn

Equinox: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox

Equilux: Link >>> https://darkskydiary.wordpress.com/2010/03/20/equinox-equilux-and-twilight-times/

Earth's Seasons: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season

Tilt of a planet's axis: Link >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_tilt

Urban legend of eggs and brooms standing on their own, only on an Equinox:
Link >>> http://www.snopes.com/science/equinox.asp

Falls Prevention Awareness Day: Link >>> https://nationaltoday.com/falls-prevention-awareness-day

Related Blog-Post ---

"Summer Begins Mid-Day Wednesday at Solstice." Mon., 2023 June 19.

Link >>> https://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2023/06/summer-begins-mid-day-wednesday-at.html

Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss          

               Monday, 2023 September 18.

                             Like This Post?  Please Share!

           More Astronomy & Science News - SpaceWatchtower Twitter Feed:
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                Want to receive SpaceWatchtower blog posts in your in-box ?
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gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator                                                               (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/weblog/spacewatchtower/gaw/
Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
SpaceWatchtower Editor / Author: Link >>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/
Formerly Astronomical Observatory Coordinator & Planetarium Lecturer, original Buhl Planetarium & Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center), America's fifth major planetarium and Pittsburgh's science & technology museum from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall, Pittsburgh suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, the fourth of only five libraries where both construction and endowment funded by famous industrialist & philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: Link >>>  http://www.planetarium.cc  Buhl Observatory: Link >>>  http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2016/11/75th-anniversary-americas-5th-public.html
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago: Link >>> http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear: Link >>> http://johnbrashear.tripod.com
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: Link >>> http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc

 * Other Walsh-Authored Blog & Web-Sites: Link >>> https://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/gawweb.html