What is a Harvest Moon? How to get the best look Friday at the larger full moon
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Drifting over the skies early Friday will be the Harvest Moon — the last "supermoon" of the year.
Here's a look at what it is and how can you can see it.
What is a Harvest Moon?
It's not just a Neil Young track.
A supermoon occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth at the same time the moon is full, according to NASA.
The full moon that happens nearest to the fall equinox is called the “Harvest Moon.” The name harkens back to when farmers depended on the moon's light to harvest their crops into the evening and extra natural light was particularly important during fall, when harvests are the largest, according to NASA.
As the Moon rises Thursday or disappears behind the horizon Friday, you should notice it has a red tint, especially when it’s low on the horizon. This is a result of the moon’s light being filtered as it travels through more of the Earth’s atmosphere than when it’s overhead, according to BBC Sky at Night.
How can I best see the Harvest Moon? Be up early Friday morning.
This year, people in the eastern time zone can look for September’s full Harvest Moon to appear just after sunset on Thursday, Sept. 28, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. It then reaches peak illumination at 5:58 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 29, drifting below the horizon shortly thereafter.
The reason that its best to see a supermoon early in the morning is because of the "moon illusion," which makes a moon appear larger when it is close.
What will be different?
Besides a red tint, according to NASA, it is almost impossible to perceive the difference in size between a supermoon and a moon's normal size in the sky.
Tides, too, will be affected with more extreme highs and lows during the Harvest Moon, due to the difference in the gravitational pull of the Moon across Earth’s diameter.
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Cbehrens@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What is the Harvest Moon? When and how to see it best on Friday
