tecoyah

Supposedly there is a good chance this will be HUGE. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/0409...vest_moon.html


The 2004 Harvest Moon Occurs Sept. 28

By Joe Rao
SPACE.com Night Sky Columnist
posted: 24 September, 2004
6:30 a.m. ET ET

The Full Moon of Tuesday, Sept. 28 also carries the title of the Harvest Moon for those living in the Northern Hemisphere. The Moon officially turns full when it reaches that spot in the sky opposite (180º) to the Sun.

This moment will occur Tuesday at 13:08 Greenwich Time (9:08 a.m. EDT or 6:08 a.m. PDT).

The Harvest Moon Moon is the one that comes the closest to the September equinox, so this year it falls in September, although in one out of three years this title can be bestowed upon the October Full Moon. The 2004 version of the Harvest Moon comes relatively close to the equinox -- slightly less than five days after it -- although it can occur as early as Sept. 8 (as in 1976) or as late as Oct. 7 (as in 1987).

Why it is special

Many think the Harvest Moon remains in the night sky longer than any of the other Full Moons we see during the year, but that is not so.

What sets Tuesday’s Full Moon apart from the others is that farmers at the climax of the current harvest season can work late into the night by the Moon’s light. It rises about the time the Sun sets, but more importantly, at this time of year, instead of rising its normal average 50 minutes later each day, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night.

In actuality, for those living at mid-northern latitudes, the rising of the Moon comes, on average, roughly 25 minutes later each night. The night-to-night difference is greatest for more southerly locations, while the difference is less than the average at more northerly locations.

The reason for this seasonal circumstance is that the Moon appears to move along the ecliptic, and at this time of year when rising, the ecliptic makes its smallest angle with respect to the horizon for those living in the Northern Hemisphere.

In contrast, for those living in the Southern Hemisphere, the ecliptic at this time of year appears to stand almost perpendicular (at nearly a right angle) to the eastern horizon. As such, the difference for the time of moonrise exceeds the average of 50 minutes per night.

Dress rehearsal for an eclipse

The next full Moon on the calendar, after this month’s Harvest Moon, comes on the night of Oct. 27-28. There will be a bonus that night: A total eclipse of the Moon.

For viewers in most of the Americas, this shady drama will happen in the early-to-mid evening hours of Wednesday, Oct. 27. Along the West Coast the eclipse gets underway at dusk, only minutes after the Sun has set and as the Moon is rising. The eclipse will also be visible from Europe, but from there it will occur in the hours before dawn breaks on the morning of Thursday, Oct. 28.

Philip Harrington, author and photographer, captured this view of a full Moon. Read excerpts from his books here.

It is not too early to begin making preparations for viewing the eclipse.

One of things to consider is the Moon’s location in the sky during the eclipse. For those who live along the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada this will be an important factor, since initially the eclipse will be rather low in the east-northeast sky. Will tall trees or nearby buildings block your view of the Moon?

You can get a very good idea about where the Moon will be in the sky during the eclipse by looking for it on the night of Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

During that Thursday night and early Friday morning, the Moon – 2½ days past full – will be very near (within a couple of degrees) to the region of the sky where it will also be on the night of Oct. 27-28 during the eclipse.

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JStrider

woooo i wanna see the lunar eclipse

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~Clatto Verata Nicto

ARTelevision

Last night's near-full moon cast 2 moondogs with full spectra - awesome here on the land.

from http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/as...s/970207e.html

Sundogs and moondogs are the names given to rainbow-like patches sometimes seen on either side of the Sun or the Moon. They are not real dogs and do not have names as far as I know. They are similar to the ring sometimes seen around the Moon.
Sundogs and the ring around the Moon are caused by the focused reflection from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. Since the ice crystals are hexagons, the distance the sundogs are from the Sun and the radius of the ring around the Moon are always the same size in the sky (22 Degrees).

Many cultures hold the ring around the Moon as a sign of good luck, since it associated with good rainfall and healthy crops.

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ngdawg

Wondered why, while travelling last night at dusk, I saw the sunset to the west and a full moon in the east!! And the sunset was a bit odd...Clouds were reflecting golds and oranges in a spectrum kind of manner....I really need to take my camera no matter where I'm going!!! (tonight's forecast calls for overcast and tomorrow's calls for rain-seems to happen every time there's unusual phenomenon about to happen )

amonkie

Yay! Maybe the storm clouds will stay far enough away for me to take in the Moon, especially since I missed the meteor shower due to those dratted clouds.

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mosha

Too bad Jeanne will be in this area tomorrow

hunnychile

Thank you so much, Tecoyah, it's wonderful to know that these stellar occurances are happening and I enjoy your input. The Harvest Moon has so many wonderful stories myth and impact on the cultural happenings from long ago and now. (I wish I still had my telescope, but I donated it to a school; so I don't feel all that bad )

It makes us stop and wonder and it's recorded and feels right. Keep sharing your knowledge. There are many of us who are avid sky watchers on tfp. Glad I live where there's not too much ambiant light. A prerequisite for my life.

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Gortexfogg

I can't wait to take a walk tonight and see the moon! Full moons are always great to look at and think under.

Redgirl

I missed the most awesome moon picture last night, too ngdawg! I was on my way to class so I couldn't go back for my camera. The clouds were sort of covering the moon, it looked just like a Halloween poster. I thought a witch would fly across at any second.

I will definitely get away from the city tonight and see what kind of pic I can take of the Harvest Moon. Is that time right? It says the official time is 8am for us central folk? It won't be very visible at that time of morning!

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Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine. They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

Janey

The September full moon is also the Moon Festival (in chinese culture) big dinners, special 'Moon Cakes' and family gatherings.

We had a big dinner on the 28 at my sister's house, with all the extended family. 45 individual shark fin soups included with the roasted suckling pig (head included), chicken wings, scallops and shrimp, black bean lobtser, mushroom noodles, deep fried crab claws with shrimp, a 20 inch round cake, and lots of tea, pop, wine & beer.

yummy!