- For the farm simulation video game, see Harvest Moon series.
- For the Neil Young album, see Harvest Moon (album).
The Harvest Moon is the full moon that appears nearest to the autumnal equinox, which occurs on or about 23 September. This moon is also known as the Wine Moon, the Singing Moon and the Elk Call Moon. 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 7 or 8. Between 1900 and 2050 the Harvest Moon fell or will fall on October 7 in 1930, 1949, 1987 and 2025 and on October 8 in 1911.
The appearance of the Harvest Moon begins the first of the harvesting months in the Northern Hemisphere. Many cultures celebrate the harvests with gatherings, festivals, and rituals that are intricately attuned to the Harvest Moon.
At this time, the moon rises at a point which is opposite to the sun, and is situated close to the eastern point of the horizon.
It is claimed by some that the harvest moon seems to be somehow "larger" than other full moons. 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, because the image of the moon in the sky is always the same size. A similar type of lunar effect is seen at the time of the spring equinox, which occurs on or about 21 March.
The harvest moon gets its name from the fact that farmers who were harvesting their crops at this time of year were able to use the extra light of the harvest moon to continue the work in the fields. In October, the full moon for that month can exhibit a similar effect, and is called the hunter's 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:
- 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
Like a hunter's moon a harvest moon is tinted yellow.
A second full moon in a calendar month, or the third full moon in a season containing 4 full moons, is sometimes called a blue moon.
External links
- Moon Illusion
- Alternate names of the Full Moons.
- Science page from NASA explaining the full moons, particularly the Harvest Moon.
