October Full Moon 2020: Things you need to know about Harvest Moon

October’s first full moon is the Harvest Moon (sometimes known as the Hunter’s Moon) on October 1, and the second full moon will happen on October 31. It’s hard to believe, but it’s true: a full moon on Halloween.

The full harvest moon will ascend at 5:05 pm ET on October 1. The name is given to the full moon that happens nearest to the autumnal equinox. While this full moon for the most part happens in September, a full moon on September 2 was too soon to be known as the harvest moon. In 2019, the full harvest moon happened on Friday, September 13.

The full harvest moon gives light to farmers harvesting their crops into the night, as indicated by the Farmer’s Almanac.

The moon will show up full for around three days, as indicated by NASA.

October will likewise close with a full moon on Halloween – the uncommon full Halloween blue hunter’s moon.

While the moon won’t really look blue, the second full moon in one month is generally referred to as a blue moon. This happens every 2.5 to three years, or “once in a blue moon.”

Already, a blue moon was known as the third or fourth full moon in a single season.

Normally, the next moon after the harvest moon is known as the hunter’s moon – when hunters used the moonlight to hunt prey and plan for winter.

While a blue moon appears to be uncommon, a full moon on Halloween across time regions is much more uncommon – an occasion that hasn’t happened since 1944.

In any case, a full moon happens on Halloween every 19 years in some time regions, so you can expect a full Halloween moon again in 2039, 2058, 2077, and 2096.

The full Halloween moon will rise at 10:49 am ET on October 31 – which clarifies why the moon will be visible across time regions. This is likewise the last day of Daylight Saving Time, so set your clocks back an hour on November 1 at 2 am.

The Harvest Moon will peak in brightness late today around evening time (October 1) when the Moon gets itself straightforwardly opposite the Sun. The moment of full illumination will happen generally at about 10.05 pm BST, here in the UK. Be that as it may, if you look up at the night skies yesterday, you may have just idea the Moon is full.

That is because to the unaided eye, the Moon shows up full for around three days centered on the peak.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomers stated: “A Full Moon occurs when the Moon appears as a complete circle in the sky.

“We see it as a full orb because the whole of the side of the Moon facing the Earth is lit up by the Sun’s rays.

“The Moon produces no visible light of its own, so we can only see the parts of the Moon that are lit up by other objects.”

What is the significance behind the Harvest Moon’s name?

The Harvest Moon holds an extraordinary spot in the lunar calendar since it doesn’t have a fixed month it shows up in.

The Pink Moon, for instance, consistently shows up in April and the Cold Moon consistently shows up in December.

Rather, the Harvest Moon is depicted as the nearest Full Moon to the fall equinox.

Thus, the Harvest Moon can show up on a night in September or October.

This year, the September Full Moon peaked on September 2 – an entire 20 days before the equinox on September 22.

October’s Full Moon will show up just nine days after the equinox, and thusly, will be known as the Harvest Moon.

One year from now, the Harvest Moon will peak in the wee morning hours of September 21.

The Royal Observatory’s astronomers stated: “The harvest moon is one of the most familiar Moon names and refers to the nearest full moon to the autumnal equinox.

“The light of the Harvest Moon enables farmers to work late into the night, helping them to bring in the crops from the fields.”

However, the upcoming Full Moon is additionally sometimes known as the Hunter’s Moon.

This name is believed to start in Native American customs as this season was ordinarily dedicated to hunting for animals that fattened during the summer.

The Royal Observatory stated: “Like the Harvest Moon, the Hunter’s Moon is also particularly bright and long in the sky, allowing hunters to stalk prey at night.”

Different names for this Moon incorporate Dying Grass Moon, Blood Moon, Sanguine Moon, and Travel Moon.

In certain parts of the world, it is otherwise called the Potato Harvest Moon as it compares to a Japanese Tsukimi festival.

In Korea, this Full Moon compares to the harvest festival of Chuseok.

What’s more, the Full Moon’s appearance is additionally connected to the Buddhist celebration of Pavarana, which denotes the finish of a three-month fast.

Why is it called the Harvest Moon?

Every one of the moon’s 12 phases has its own name that will frequently change between cultures. Huge numbers of the most recognizable are gotten from Native American names that have been gotten and circulated the web.

Lunar master Gordon Johnston from Nasa stated: “The Maine Farmer’s Almanac first published Native American names for the Full Moons in the 1930s. ‘Over time these names have become widely known and used. ‘According to this almanac, as the Full Moon in September and the last Full Moon of summer, the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern USA called this the Corn Moon, as this was the time for gathering their main staple crops of corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice.”

However, it shows up the term ‘Harvest Moon’ really goes back even further. The Harvest Moon is really an old European name with the Oxford English Dictionary giving 1706 as the time of its originally published use. Most years the Harvest Moon falls in September yet this is one of the years it falls in October.

When can I see October Full ‘Harvest’ Moon?

The ‘true’ Harvest Moon will be visible the evening of Thursday 1 October, and actually, the moon won’t be at its ‘fullest’ until somewhat after 10 pm.

Obviously, you won’t need any specialist equipment to see it (the full moon will be similarly as visible as it generally may be), even though there is consistently a risk that cloud cover could scupper your lunar pleasure.

Showers will be heaviest and generally incessant in the southwest, with even a risk of hail and thunder.

How to see the October full moon above the UK

The moon will be visible soon after nightfall, yet for the best perspective on it, we’d suggest waiting until some other time in the night when the last vestiges of sunlight have faded and you’re left with a stupendously bright full moon. For the full impact, you’ll need to ensure you’re away from any light pollution like streetlights or houses.

Given the current circumstance with Covid-19 in any case, we’d suggest the finish of your nursery or a spot in a park while keeping up social distancing. Toward the start of the night, the moon will show up close to the horizon. It will keep on ascending higher in the sky as the hours’ pass.

October 2020 is additionally a ‘Blue Moon’ month with two full moons. The first full Moon is on October 1st. The second, a so-called ‘Blue Moon,’ happens on October 31st. Lately, individuals have been using the name Blue Moon for the second of two full moons in a single calendar month.