Look up! September harvest moon to be visible Thursday, Friday in Austin
Eyes to the sky, Austinites; the final supermoon of the year will be visible Thursday.
There have already been three supermoons in 2023, though the supermoon Thursday is known as a harvest moon or Full Corn Moon because it's closest to the autumnal equinox, which was Saturday.
Supermoons occur when the moon is at or near its closest point to Earth in its orbit, which can make the moon appear larger and shine brighter than at other points in its cycle.
Fall foliage near Austin? Yes! Lost Maples State Natural Area ranks as best in the U.S.
When can I see the harvest moon?
Sunset in Austin on Thursday is shortly after 7:20 p.m., at which point the harvest moon may begin to show. The forecast for Thursday night is mostly clear, according to the National Weather Service, which should make viewing the moon easy.
The harvest moon will likely be brightest shortly before 5 a.m. Friday, according to the Farmers’ Almanac, though it may also be visible Friday evening, for which the forecast is also mostly clear.
The next harvest moon is slated for Sept. 17, 2024.
Pumpkin Nights returns to Austin: Here's how to get tickets before Halloween
When were the other supermoons in 2023?
Thursday's supermoon is the last of four consecutive supermoons in 2023. Here are the others:
July's buck moon
August's sturgeon moon
A blue moon is the second of two full moons in a single month, and August's blue moon was especially rare because it was also a supermoon. NASA says the next super blue moon won't come for another 14 years, when a pair will light the night sky in January and March 2037.
Reporting from USA Today reporters Claire Thornton, Doyle Rice and Christopher Cann and Nashville Tennessean reporter Joyce Orlando contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Last supermoon of 2023, the harvest moon, to be visible Thursday night
