Look For Harvest Moon Early Thursday Morning

We've all heard the expression, "Harvest Moon". Well, we actually get a Harvest Moon in the wee hours of tomorrow morning.

Here's what a harvest moon is, according to earthsky.org:

"In traditional skylore, the Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, and depending on the year, the Harvest Moon can come anywhere from two weeks before to two weeks after the autumnal equinox. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the 2013 autumnal equinox comes on September 22, so the September 19 full moon counts as the Northern Hemisphere’s Harvest Moon.

In North America, the moon will turn precisely full before sunrise, Thursday September 19."

Who named the Harvest Moon? That name probably sprang to the lips of farmers throughout the Northern Hemisphere, on autumn evenings, as the Harvest Moon aided in bringing in the crops. The name was popularized in the early 20th century by the song below:

"Shine On Harvest Moon"

By Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth (1903)
"Shine on, shine on harvest moon

Up in the sky,

I ain’t had no lovin’

Since January, February, June or July

Snow time ain’t no time to stay

Outdoors and spoon,

So shine on, shine on harvest moon,

For me and my gal."

For the exact time of our local moonrise, click here.