The Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest to the autumnal equinox, which occurs (in the northern hemisphere) on or about September 23rd, and in the southern hemisphere on or about March 21st. Its physical characteristics - rising time, path across the sky - are similar to those of the Hunter's moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon nearest to the autumnal equinox, which occurs (in the northern hemisphere) on or about 23 September, and in the southern hemisphere on or about 21 March. ... Composite image of the Moon as taken by the Galileo spacecraft on 7 December 1992. ... Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of equinox The autumnal equinox (or fall equinox) marks the beginning of astronomical autumn. ... Northern hemisphere highlighted in yellow. ... September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... southern hemisphere highlighted in yellow (Antarctica not depicted). ... March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (81st in leap years). ... The Hunters Moon (also known as Blood Moon or Sanquine Moon) is the last full moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon nearest the September equinox. ...

All full moons have their own special characteristics, based primarily on the whereabouts of the ecliptic in the sky at the time of year that these moons are visible. The full moons of September, October and November as seen from the northern hemisphere - which correspond to the full moons of March, April and May as seen from the southern hemisphere - are well known in the folklore of the sky. All full moons rise around the time of sunset. However, although in general the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, as it moves in orbit around Earth, the Harvest Moon and Hunter's Moon are special, because around the time of these full moons, the time difference between moonrise on successive evenings is shorter than usual. In other words, the moon rises approximately 30 minutes later, from one night to the next, as seen from about 40 degrees N. or S. latitude, for several evenings around the full Hunter's or Harvest Moons. Thus there is no long period of darkness between sunset and moonrise around the time following these full moons. In times past this feature of these autumn moons was said to help farmers working to bring in their crops (or, in the case of the Hunter's Moon, hunters tracking their prey). They could continue being productive by moonlight even after the sun had set. Hence the name Harvest (or Hunter's) Moon. The plane of the ecliptic is well seen in this picture from the 1994 lunar prospecting Clementine spacecraft. ... southern hemisphere highlighted in yellow (Antarctica not depicted). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The reason for the shorter-than-usual rising time between successive moonrises around the time of the Harvest and Hunter's Moon is that the ecliptic - or plane of Earth's orbit around the sun - makes a narrow angle with respect to the horizon in the evening in autumn. The plane of the ecliptic is well seen in this picture from the 1994 lunar prospecting Clementine spacecraft. ...

The Harvest Moon can come before or after the autumnal equinox. It is simply the full moon closest to that equinox. About once every four years it occurs in October, depending on the cycles of the moon. Currently, the latest the Harvest Moon can occur is on October 8. Between 1900 and 2010 the Harvest Moon falls on October 7 in 1930, 1949, 1987, 2006, and on October 8 in 1911. Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of equinox The autumnal equinox (or fall equinox) marks the beginning of astronomical autumn. ...

Many cultures celebrate with gatherings, festivals, and rituals that are intricately attuned to the Harvest Moon or Hunter's Moon. The Hunters Moon (also known as Blood Moon or Sanquine Moon) is the last full moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon nearest the September equinox. ...

It is claimed by some that the Harvest Moon seems to be somehow bigger or brighter or yellower in color than other full moons. This is an illusion. The yellow or golden or orangish or reddish color of the moon shortly after it rises is a physical effect, which stems from the fact that, when you see the moon low in the sky, you are looking at it through a greater amount of atmosphere than when the moon is overhead. The atmosphere scatters the bluish component of white moonlight (which is really reflected sunlight) but allows the reddish component of the light to travel a straighter path to your eyes. Hence all moons (and stars and planets) look reddish when they are low in the sky.

As for the large size of a full moon when seen low in the sky, it is true that the human eye sees a low hanging moon as being larger than one that rides high in the sky. This is known as a Moon Illusion and can be seen with any full moon. It can also be seen with constellations; in other words, a constellation viewed low in the sky will appear bigger than when it is high in the sky. The Moon illusion is an optical illusion in which the Moon appears larger near the horizon than it does while higher up in the sky. ... Orion is a remarkable constellation, visible from most places on the globe (but not always the whole year long). ...

The Harvest Moon is also known as the Wine Moon, the Singing Moon and the Elk Call Moon. In myth and folklore the full moon of each month is given a name. There are many variations but the following list gives the most widely known names: The word mythology (from the Greek μυολογία mythología, from mythologein to relate myths, from mythos, meaning a narrative, and logos, meaning speech or argument) literally means the (oral) retelling of myths – stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use the supernatural to interpret natural events and... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

• January - Wolf moon
• February - Ice moon
• March - Storm moon
• April - Growing moon
• May - Hare moon
• June - Mead moon
• July - Hay moon
• August - Corn moon
• September - Harvest moon
• October - Hunter's moon
• November - Snow moon
• December - Winter moon

The third full moon in a season with four full moons is called a blue moon, as described in the Maine Farmer's Almanac. Until recently it was commonly misunderstood that the second full moon in a month was the blue moon. However, it was recently discovered by Sky and Telescope Magazine and reported on NPR that the interpretation of a blue moon as the second full moon of the month was erroneously reported in an issue of Sky and Telescope Magazine dating back to 1946 and then perpetuated by other media. Wolf Moon is a 1988 childrens fantasy novel by Charles de Lint. ... Storm moon occurs in March and is responsible for shifting weather patterns in the northern hemisphere. ... The Hunters Moon (also known as Blood Moon or Sanquine Moon) is the last full moon after the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon nearest the September equinox. ... The term blue moon has at least four related meanings. ... Farmers Almanac is a reference book used by farmers to determine astronomical positions. ... The term blue moon has at least four related meanings. ... NPR logo For other meanings of NPR see NPR (disambiguation) National Public Radio (NPR) is a private, not-for-profit corporation that sells programming to member radio stations; together they are a loosely organized public radio network in the United States. ... The term blue moon has at least four related meanings. ...

See also

• Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in Victoria Park, Hong Kong. ...

External links

• Moon Illusion
• Alternate names of the Full Moons.
• Science page from NASA explaining the full moons.