This Saturday night, we will be graced with the full Harvest Moon (visibility weather/cloud cover pending). The Harvest Moon, first of all, is just a name. It is the name given to the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox (which occurred last Saturday). Why? Well, folklore has it that in the days before tractor lights, the lamp of the Harvest Moon helped farmers to gather their crops, despite the diminishing daylight hours. As the sun's light faded in the west, the moon would soon rise in the east to illuminate the fields throughout the night. Officially, the crest of the full Harvest Moon will happen on September 29, 2012 at 11:19 p.m. EDT.
The Harvest Moon has the reputation of being especially big and bright and orange. But it isn't really the Harvest Moon's size or brightness that distinguishes it from other full moons. In fact, the 2012 Harvest Moon is a touch smaller than an average-sized full moon. The orange color of a moon near the horizon is a true physical effect. It stems from the fact that when you look toward the horizon , you are looking through a greater thickness of Earth's atmosphere than when you gaze up and overhead. The atmosphere scatters blue light – that's why the sky looks blue. The greater thickness of atmosphere in the direction of a horizon scatters blue light most effectively, but it lets red light pass through to your eyes. So a moon near the horizon takes on a yellow or orange or reddish hue.
So again, cloud cover pending, you may be able to see the full Harvest Moon this Saturday. The moon will still appear full and round for the few days leading up to, and following the 29th.
According to the Farmers' Almanac, here is a list of the other full moon names during the year…
Full Wolf Moon – January
Full Snow Moon – February
Full Worm Moon – March
Full Pink Moon – April
Full Flower Moon – May
Full Strawberry Moon – June
The Full Buck Moon – July
Full Sturgeon Moon – August
Full Harvest Moon – September
Full Hunter's Moon – October
Full Beaver Moon – November
The Full Cold Moon; or the Full Long Nights Moon – December
