The final full supermoon of the year, known as the harvest moon, will illuminate the sky on Thursday evening. The moon will shine brightly and radiantly on Thursday, September 28, just after sunset. However, it will reach its full potential on Friday at approximately 6 a.m. ET, as confirmed by the Farmers’ Almanac.
You may have noticed that there has been a lot of talk about supermoons lately, and that’s because 2023 has been a year of supermoon events. This week marks the final installment in this series of four supermoons, which included a rare occurrence in August: two supermoons in one month. After Thursday’s spectacle, we won’t see another supermoon until the summer of 2024. If you’re interested in viewing this lunar wonder, read on for tips on where to look and when.
What Does A Supermoon Mean?
The upcoming lunar sight for this month is not just any ordinary moon, it’s a full harvest supermoon. This is what September’s moon is commonly referred to as it is the closest to the September equinox. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, this is the time to harvest what was grown in the spring. SkySafari also provides other names for this moon, such as “corn moon” and “barley moon.”
How to Experience the Full Harvest Supermoon
According to the stargazing app SkySafari, the brilliant full orange orb will be visible near the Aquarius and Pisces stars in the eastern sky. To witness this beautiful sight, it is recommended to head out before the sunset on Thursday and find a spot with an open view towards the east, like a beach or scenic overlook. The full orange orb will shine brightly around sunset and continue to glimmer into Friday evening.
The harvest supermoon will be in full view, illuminating the sky at its peak at 5:57 a.m. EDT on Friday, September 29th. It will also be visible again on Friday evening, giving you the chance to bask in its beauty twice as the month comes to a close.
As Friday morning approaches, the moon’s glow will reach its peak. However, it will appear largest on Thursday and Friday evening when it’s close to the horizon. This peculiar phenomenon is called the moon illusion, which causes objects like the moon to appear larger when viewed near the horizon than when viewed in the overhead sky. The Natural History Museum of London explains that this is a well-known effect of the moon illusion when a supermoon rises and is at its closest distance to the Earth.
When Will the Next Supermoon Occur?
The year has been quite fortunate for supermoon sightings, but it seems that we are in for a bit of a drought. This makes Thursday and Friday’s supermoon all the more special and worthy of appreciation. After this, we will have to wait until September 2024 for the next supermoon, followed by ones in October and November. So, make sure to take advantage of this opportunity to witness the lunar beauty while you can.
September’s full moon is no ordinary moon. It’s called the full harvest supermoon, and it happens to be the moon closest to the September equinox. The Farmers’ Almanac refers to this moon as the time to harvest what was planted in the spring. Other names for this moon include “corn moon” and “barley moon,” as reported by SkySafari.
