Full Moon: What time will the rare Harvest Moon peak on Friday the 13th?

The Full Moon for the month of September is usually an annual treat for photographers and those given to wonder. Full Moons mark the midway point in the satellite’s elliptical orbit of 29.53 days. Full Moons earn their name because their Earth-facing area is fully illuminated by the Sun. And our planet’s cosmic companion is this month dubbed the Harvest Moon, as it traditionally allowed farmers to continue harvesting long into the night.

Because the lunar cycle is a little out of sync with the calendar month, the date on which the September Full Moon occurs changes every year.

Depending on where you live in the world, the Full Moon may even appear on the Friday the 13th date.

In the US, the Moon will rise in the skies early on in the Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones.

This means the Harvest Moon will peak before midnight on Friday the 13th.

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Los Angeles and California, will witness the Moon peaking at approximately 9.32pm PDT.

Fred Schaaf of the Old Farmer’s Almanac guide to nature and astronomy said: “For several evenings, the moonrise comes soon after sunset.

“This results in an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening, which was a traditional aide to farmers and crews harvesting their summer-grown crops. Hence, it’s called the ‘Harvest’ Moon.”

The Harvest Moon also coincides with the astronomical arrival of autumn.

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This is marked by the Autumnal Equinox on September 23 this year.

An equinox occurs when the Sun is nearest to the equator and crosses the celestial equator overhead at noon.

What are all of the Full Moon names this year?

In total, there are 12 Full Moon phases with unique names described by the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

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How to see the Harvest Moon?

Provided the weather is clear, it should be relatively easy to get a good view of the Harvest Moon.

A telescope is not required to see it, although one will be useful tonight as it will appear a little smaller than usual.

The Moon sometimes turns a deep orange when it is close to the horizon.

This is because it is being viewed through the thickness of the Earth’s atmosphere, causing it to slightly change its hue.

When the Moon rises into the centre of the sky, it will be shining a brilliant white.

The 12 Full Moon phases:

January 21: Wolf Moon

February 19: Snow Moon

March 21: Worm Moon

April 19: Pink Moon

May 18: Flower Moon

June 17: Strawberry Moon

July 16: Buck Moon

August 15: Sturgeon Moon

September 14: Full Corn Moon

October 13: Hunter’s Moon

November 12: Beaver’s Moon

December 12: Cold Moon

source: express.co.uk