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
Tuesday evening, the Full Harvest Moon (which some would call the second so-called “Super-Moon” of 2024) comes with a bonus – a Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon, which will be visible in most of the Western Hemisphere, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. However, this Eclipse, which is safe to watch directly (weather-permitting), will be a very slight or shallow Lunar Eclipse.
Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon
A Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon is the only category of eclipses which is safe to view with the unaided eyes (one-power), binoculars, and a telescope.
A Live-stream Web-cast of this Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon will be available for observers not in a region where the eclipse is visible in the sky, or where weather conditions make such an observation impossible (Internet link to this Live-stream near the end of this blog-post).
Everyone on the night or dark side of the Earth can view at least part of any Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon, weather-permitting. People located where weather blocks direct view of the Eclipse, or who live in other parts of the world, would need to watch the eclipse on the Internet.
Here are the major stages of this Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon –--
Late Tuesday Evening, 2024 September 17 / Wednesday Morning, 2024 September 18 -
[Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)]
(Note that a Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon is the only type of Eclipse where the times of Eclipse are the same world-wide, when using Coordinated Universal Time. Everyone on the dark or night side of Earth can view this Eclipse in the sky, weather-permitting.)
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Begins --- Sept. 17, 8:41:07 p.m. EDT / Sept. 18, 0:41:07 UTC
Partial Lunar Eclipse Begins --- Sept. 17, 10:12:58 p.m. EDT / Sept. 18, 2:12:58 UTC
Primary Moon Phase: Full Moon – Harvest Moon --- Sept. 17, 10:34 p.m. EDT / Sept. 18, 2:34 UTC
Greatest Partial Lunar Eclipse --- Sept. 17, 10:44:18 a.m. EDT / Sept. 18, 2:44:18 UTC
Partial Lunar Eclipse Ends --- Sept. 17, 11:15:38 p.m. EDT / Sept. 18, 3:15:38 UTC
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Ends --- Sept. 18, 12:47:27 a.m. EDT / Sept. 18, 4:47:27 UTC
At the time of Greatest Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon on September 17, the Moon will be only 3.5 per-cent obscured by the Earth's Umbral shadow. The remaining portion of the Moon's surface will be well within the Penumbral shadow of the Earth. At this time, the Moon will appear as if a small chip, in the upper right portion of the Moon, has been removed, while the rest of the Moon may appear a wee-bit dimmer than normal. Thus, this a very shallow Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon.
And, the bright object near the Moon during this Eclipse will be the ringed-planet Saturn.
A Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon occurs when the orbit of the Moon brings our natural satellite into the Earth's shadow (shadow caused by the Earth completely blocking light from the Sun). The Earth's shadow, extending into Outer Space from the dark or night side of Earth, is divided into two sections: the dim Penumbra or Penumbral shadow, which encircles the deeper Umbra or Umbral shadow. The Moon's orbit is slightly tilted, so most months at the primary Moon phase of Full Moon, the Moon moves above or below the Earth's shadow, with no Eclipse occurring.
A Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon always occurs near the time, and including the time, of a Full Moon. Many Native Americans called the Full Moon of November the Corn Moon or Barley Moon in addition to being known to European and American farmers as the Harvest Moon, but, more on that later.
When the Earth's dim shadow, known as the Penumbra, falls on the Moon, it is called a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse / Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon. Because the Earth's shadow is dim in this case, this type of Eclipse is difficult to discern.
When the Earth's deep shadow, known as the Umbra, falls on only part of the Moon's surface, this is known as a Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon. This is more easily visible, if you are in the right location and weather conditions are acceptable.
A Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon is when the Earth's deep shadow, or Umbra, completely envelops the Moon. Usually, a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon only occurs once every 2.5 years, approximately, as seen from someplace in the world. The last one was seen in North America on 2022 May 15 / 16.
Of course, "Totality" / Total Phase of a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon is the most impressive part of this type of Eclipse, what most people wait to see. The Partial Phases of the Eclipse are when a piece of the Moon seems missing, as the Moon moves further into the Earth's main shadow known as the Umbra, or as the Eclipse is ending and the Moon is further moving out of the Earth's Umbra.
The Penumbral Phases of the Eclipse are difficult to see, as the Moon moves into or out of the Earth's secondary shadow or Penumbra. In this case, one would not see any chunks or bites taken out of the Moon's disk, as one would see when the Moon moves into the Umbra shadow during the Partial Phases. Instead, if your eyes are very good, you may notice a slight dimming of the light coming from the Moon, as the Moon moves further into the Penumbral shadow
Although no direct sunlight reaches the Moon during a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon, the Earth's atmosphere refracts the sunlight around our planet allowing a portion of the sunlight to continue to be transmitted to the Moon. However, the refracted light reaching the Moon is primarily in the yellow, orange, and red portions of the electromagnetic spectrum (the Earth's atmosphere filters-out the violet, blue, and green colors), as with orange or red-tinted sunrises and sunsets (during such a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon, a person standing on the side of the Moon facing Earth could see all Earth sunrises and sunsets simultaneously, as they viewed the Earth in a Total Solar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Sun --- but, even on the Moon, a person would need to take strong precautions to ensure their eye-sight is not damaged by such a view). Hence, it is orange or red light that is reflected from the Moon back into your eyes during a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon.
Hence, particularly during the middle of a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon, the Moon will not disappear from view but can be seen with an orange or reddish tint, what some call "blood red" (this is sometimes referred to as a “Blood Moon”). If the Earth had no atmosphere, likely no sunlight would reach the Moon during a Total Lunar Eclipse / Total Eclipse of the Moon, and there would be no "Blood Moon;" the Moon would seem to completely disappear.
Harvest Moon
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 Tuesday Evening, 2024 September 17, at 10:34 p.m. Eastern Daylight Saving Time (EDT) / September 18, 2:34 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, will occur on Sunday Morning, 2024 September 23 at 8:44 a.m. EDT / 12:44 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 Thursday Morning, 2024 October 17 at 7:26 a.m. EDT / 11:26 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 will be another so-called “Super-Moon” (the third of four so-called “Super-Moons” in 2024), being the largest Full Moon of 2024.
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 a so-called "Super-Moon", the second of four in 2024. 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.
The orbit of the Moon around the Earth is not a perfect circle, but an ellipse. Hence, during the near-monthly orbit of the Moon around the Earth, at one time during the month the Moon is closer to the Earth than normal (known as Lunar Perigee) and about a half-month later the Moon is farther from the Earth than normal (known as Lunar Apogee). Hence, when the Primary Moon Phase of Full Moon occurs at or near Lunar Perigee, some people refer to the slightly larger visible Full Moon as a so-called "Super-Moon".
This month's Lunar Perigee occurs about 10 hours after the Harvest Moon - Wednesday Morning, 2024 September18 at 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC: 222,007.228 statute miles / 357,286 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.
Live-stream Web-cast of this Partial Lunar Eclipse / Partial Eclipse of the Moon can be found at the following Internet link --
Link >>> https://www.timeanddate.com/live/eclipse-lunar-2024-september-18
Internet Links to Additional Information ---
Moon: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon
Lunar Eclipse / Eclipse of the Moon: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse
Harvest Moon: Link >>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_moon#Harvest_moon
Source: Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for SpaceWatchtower, a project of Friends of the Zeiss
"Partial Eclipse of Harvest Moon Tue. Night"
Friday, 2024 September 13.
Artificial Intelligence not used in the writing or production of this article.
© Copyright 2024 Glenn A. Walsh, All Rights Reserved
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Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator & Communicator (For more than 50 years! - Since Monday Morning, 1972 June 12):
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Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss: Link >>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/fotz/
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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
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