Dan BassoLansing State Journal
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September's upcoming full moon has a lot going for it; it's the Harvest Moon, a "supermoon" and there will even be a partial eclipse as well.
The full moon appears on Sept. 17 and is known as the Harvest Moon because it appears closest to the start of autumn.
It will be followed a day later by a supermoon on Sept. 18, as the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox takes center stage with an added boost.
That same night of the 17th, if conditions are right, you may notice a slight shadow on the moon as the Earth partially obscures it from the sun.
The autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere falls on Sept. 22 — at 8:44 a.m. if you want to be specific. The vernal equinox, the start of spring, takes place on March 20, 2025.
The September 2024 full moon’s shallow angle relative to the horizon during this period also results in a series of early evening moonrises over several consecutive nights.
Also, the full moon typically rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the moon rises at nearly the same time each night, according to Space.com — just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S.
Here's what sky watchers need to know:
When is the full moon in September 2024?
The Harvest Moon appears on the scene Sept. 17. The moon's phases in September are:
- 🌑New Moon: Sept. 2
- 🌓First Quarter: Sept. 11
- 🌕Full Moon: Sept. 17
- 🌗Last Quarter: Sept. 24
Why is it called the Harvest Moon?
According to Space.com, September's full moon is known as the Harvest Moon because at the peak of the harvest, farmers can work into the night by the light of this moon. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans and wild rice — the chief Native American staples — are ready for gathering.
Traditionally, the designation goes to the full moon that occurs closest to the equinox. In most years, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but about every four or five years it occurs in October. The next time that will happen will be in 2025.
The full moon names used byThe Old Farmer’s Almanaccome from a number of places, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, notsolelytothefullmoon.
Other moon nameshighlight September as the transitional period between summer andfall:
- Autumn Moon(Cree)
- Falling Leaves Moon(Ojibwe)
- Leaves Turning Moon(Anishinaabe)
- Moon of Brown Leaves(Lakota)
- Yellow Leaf Moon(Assiniboine)
The behavior of animals is also a common theme, withChild Moon(Tlingit) referring to the time when young animals are weaned, andMating MoonandRutting Moon(both Cree) describingthe time of year when animals, like moose, elk, anddeer, are mate.
What time is best to see the full moon in September 2024?
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, moonrise for the Lansing area will happen by 7:42 p.m. Sept. 17, crossing the meridian at 12:49 a.m. before setting at 6:32 a.m. on Sept. 18. On the 18th, the supermoon rises at 8:05 p.m. and sets at 7:53 a.m. the following morning.
Is the Harvest Moon a supermoon?
September's full moon will also be a supermoon. According toEarthSky, “the September Harvest Moon is the second of four supermoons in a row for 2024.”
The next supermoons will be onOct. 17 and Nov. 15. August's full moon also was a supermoon.
What is a supermoon?
A supermoon is a full moon that appears larger and brighter than usual because it is closer to Earth in its orbit.
The moon follows an elliptical path around Earth, meaning its distance from us varies throughout the month. According toNASA, when a full moon coincides with the point in its orbit closest to Earth, called perigee, it’s referred to as a super moon.
The Americas, Europe, Pacific basin will see a partial lunar eclipse
People in the Americas, parts of Antarctica, western Indian Ocean, Middle East, Africa, Europe, Atlantic Ocean, and eastern Polynesia will see a shallowpartial lunar eclipseovernight on Sept. 17-18, 2024.
Only a small fraction of the moon will enter Earth’s shadow. For the most part, the lunar eclipse will appear as apenumbraleclipse of the moon. As the eclipse progresses, you should notice a dark, reddish shading on the moon, followed by the barest of dark bites taken from one edge of the moon.
Why does the moon sometimes appear red?
You may have noticed the moon will occasionally take on a dramatic shade of orange or red in the night sky. That's because of how sunlight strikes the moon's surface after passing through the atmosphere.
When the moon moves into the inner part of Earth's shadow, or umbra, according to NASA, some of the sunlight entering Earth's skies scatters before reaching the moon's surface.
Colors with shorter wavelengths, such as blues and violets, scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, which include red and orange. The more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere during a lunar eclipse, the redder the moon appears.
When is the next full moon of 2024?
The Hunter's Moon will rise Oct. 17, 2024. The full moon in October will be the third of four consecutive super moons.
Look up: Here's when every full moon shines in 2024
