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Harvest moon
full moon
What are the phases of the Moon?Telling time the lunar way.
See all videos for this articleHarvest moon, the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox (about September 23). Near the time of the autumnal equinox, the angle of the Moon’s orbit relative to Earth’s horizon is at its minimum, causing the full moon to rise above the horizon much faster than usual. Since the difference of the moon’s rising time on successive nights barely varies, the moon appears to rise at nearly the same hour for several nights in succession. Because the harvest moon, like any full moon, must rise near the hour of sunset, harvest workers in the Northern Hemisphere may be aided by bright moonlight after sunset on several successive evenings. A similar effect is observed in corresponding southern latitudes around March 21.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Rick Livingston.
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