The Harvest Moon
To continue
the Moons of the year series, here is the installment for the month of October,
the Harvest Moon.
The full moon for the month of October is
known as the Harvest Moon. This is the time of the year when many planted
crops, are harvested. Workers could work well into the night, their fields
illuminated by the full moon.
The Harvest Moon is usually in September,
not October. However, this year, the autumnal calendar has changed. The website
Space.com offers insight into this change….
“Usually,
the full moon in September is known as the Harvest Moon, but this year that
name is reserved for October's full moon. That's because the Harvest Moon is
the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox, which occurs on Sept.
22 this year.”
The Farmer’s Almanac website offers
different names for this moon:
"Some
Native American tribes referred to October’s Moon as the Full Hunter’s Moon, as
it was the time to go hunting in preparation for winter. This full Moon is also
called the “Travel Moon” and the “Dying Grass Moon.”
The Earth Sky website offers insight into
the autumnal full moons:
“What’s
the big deal about the Harvest Moon? Why are the full moons special in autumn?
Around the time of the autumn equinox, the ecliptic – or the path of the sun,
moon, and planets – makes a narrow angle with the horizon at sunset. Every full
moon rises around the time of sunset, and on average each successive moonrise
comes about 50 minutes later daily. But, on September and October evenings –
because of the narrow angle of the ecliptic to the horizon – the moon rises
sooner than the average. So, instead of rising 50 minutes later in the days
after full moon, the waning gibbous moon might rise only 35 minutes later, or
thereabouts, for several days in a row (at mid-northern latitudes). At far
northern latitudes – like at Fairbanks, Alaska – the moon rises about 15
minutes later for days on end.
Will the moon look any different in the
sky tonight? The website Earth Sky shares its expertise on the issue:
“…you
might think the Harvest Moon looks bigger or brighter or more orange. That’s
because the Harvest Moon has such a powerful mystique. Many people look for it
shortly after sunset around the time of full moon. After sunset around any full
moon, the moon will always be near the horizon. It’ll just have risen. It’s the
location of the moon near the horizon that causes the Harvest Moon – or any
full moon – to look big and orange in color.”
The website Refinery 29 offers advice for
this full moon:
“No
full moon comes without a warning of changes yet to arrive. Now that you've
seen your summertime efforts come to fruition, it's time to look ahead to the
winter. This is not to say that your holiday shopping should be over and done
with by next week, but it won't hurt to start reflecting on what you want out
of the remainder of 2017. Once you have your end-of-year wish list in mind, get
moving. Start thinking about how you can start to make your dreams a reality,
even if they're on the bigger and wilder side. With the expansive full moon
fueling your ambition, even the smallest steps will leave a major impact.”
I know that I have big plans for the rest
of the year. I am about to publish my latest book, “El Panorama."
It is the Spanish
language version of my second book, "The Bigger Picture."
Beyond that, I will be doing a bit of
traveling at the end of the year, into the New Year. I have many plans for the
rest of the year. I pray they all come true.
I pray that with the coming harvest moon
that you take stock on the remainder of the year. Think about what you have
accomplished, and what you would like to do in the remaining months of the
year. May you reap a bountiful harvest.
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