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Celestial objects come and go in the visible night sky all the time. Whether it’s a full moon or a meteor shower, or just the best night to see Mars, we are here to direct your eyes skyward and tell you to look up and appreciate the wonders of space from Earth.
This week, we ask you to look at a bright and fully lit Full Moon. The last full moon of summer, this special Moon will rise after midnight on Wednesday, September 2 at 1:22 a.m. EDT and appear full for three days, according to NASA.
This is what you need to know.
Over a period of 27 days, 7 hours and 43 minutes, the Moon goes through its lunar cycle, varying in its perceived brightness and size in our night skies.
The lunar cycle of the Moon is marked by several milestones. At the peak of its cycle, a small swath of the Moon’s crescent gradually appears in our skies as it rises to become a full Moon. After that, she begins to turn invisible once more, before starting again.
When the Moon is full, the orbiting rock shows the entire face of Earth’s inhabitants when our planet is right between the Sun and the Moon. As a result, the side of the Moon facing the Earth is fully illuminated by the radiant light from the Sun.
What is a corn moon? – When the full moon falls in September, it is known as a corn, fruit, or barley moon, as it coincides with the harvest season. Native American tribes called it the ‘Corn Moon’ as it marked the time when they gathered their corn crops in the northeastern United States, as well as squash, zucchini, beans, and rice. In Europe, it is known as the ‘Fruit’ and the ‘Barley Moon’ as this is when most fruit crops are harvested, as well as hardly any.
The September full moon also corresponds to the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, during which the ghosts of Chinese ancestors emerge from hell during the month of ghosts.
Here’s how to spot this year’s last full moon before the autumnal equinox (which will take place on Tuesday, September 22):
The Moon will be brighter and visibly fuller in the night skies beginning on the night of Monday, August 31, and will remain so until the night of Thursday, September 3.
The full moon will reach its maximum illumination during the early hours of dusk on Wednesday, September 2.
Next month, we will witness the rare event of two full moons in the same month, since the celestial object will be fully illuminated on both October 1 and October 31.
