September’s Full Moon is almost here, and it’s a special one. Known as the Harvest Moon, it’s the Full Moon closest to the September equinox, which marks the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, the equinox fell on September 22, with the Harvest Moon following just a few days later.
Want to know more about September’s Full Moon? Keep reading to find out when to see it and why it has this name.
When is the September full moon?
The Full Moon will occur on Saturday, Sept. 26 Time and Date estimates it will peak at 12:49 p.m. ET.
What is the September full moon called?
Every Full Moon has a name, and sometimes it has more than one. September’s Full Moon is known as the Harvest Moon, a name that’s tied to the timing of the Full Moon rather than a particular plant or animal.
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The Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the September equinox, which falls around the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, September’s Full Moon comes just a few days after the equinox. September’s Full Moon is also known as the Corn Moon, a name linked to the time of year when crops are gathered, according to Royal Museums Greenwich.
When is the next full moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on Oct. 25 or 26, depending on where you are in the world.
What are the lunar phases?
The Moon’s appearance changes throughout its orbit around Earth as different amounts of its sunlit side become visible to us. This repeating cycle takes about 29.5 days and is divided into eight distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, its illuminated portion appears to grow and shrink as the Moon moves around our planet. The eight phases are:
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New Moon — The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (so, we don’t see anything).
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Waxing Crescent — A small sliver of light appears on the right side
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First Quarter — Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.
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Waxing Gibbous — More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
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Full Moon — The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
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Waning Gibbous — The moon starts losing light on the right side
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Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) — Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.
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Waning Crescent — A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
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