In the coming days, the harvest moon - the full moon closest to the autumn equinox - will rise.
Skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere can see the spectacular site on the nights of Sept. 29 and Sept.30, 2012.
According
EarthSky.org, the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, but when a
full moon occurs close to the autumn equinox, the moon rises about 30
minutes later. These earlier moon rises make every harvest moon special.
The harvest moon is not necessarily larger, brighter or more
orange-colored than other moons. It may have a different appearance
because of its location in the sky.
After the full harvest moon,
you'll see the moon rising in the east just after sunset at northerly
latitudes, making it seem like the full moon continues for several
nights in a row.
According to The Farmer's Almanac,
the Native Americans named the harvest moon. It marked when the corn
was to be harvested. At the peak of harvest, before tractor lights,
farmers worked by the the light of the moon to gather their crops.
Another name for the harvest moon is the full corn moon.
When the harvest moon arrives on the same night as the autumn
equinox, it is called the super harvest moon. The last time a super
harvest moon occurred was in 2010. It won't occur again until 2029.
The next full moon after the harvest moon is called the hunter's moon, which will be visible on Oct. 29, 2012.
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