The Meaning Behind September's Full Harvest Moon

 The Meaning Behind September's Full Harvest Moon, The Harvest Moon is unlike any other full moon. But why is it special and what is the meaning behind the name?

In 2022, the Harvest Moon will first appear in the evening of Friday, September 9 before reaching peak illumination at 5:59 a.m. EDT on Saturday, September 10, according to the Farmers Almanac.

Technically, the moon only turns full at a specific point in time. At these times, the side of the moon that faces toward us is fully illuminated, appearing like a perfect circle.

But many people use the term full moon to refer to our natural satellite over the course of the whole night in which it reaches peak illumination. To most observers, the moon will appear full from September 9 to 11.

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Stock image showing a full moon above a farm. The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, which this year falls on September 22. Getty Images

Instead, the name Harvest Moon is given to whichever full moon falls closest to the autumnal equinox—which this year arrives on September, 22.

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As a result, the Harvest Moon can occur in September or October, depending on how the lunar cycle lines up with the Gregorian calendar.

The Harvest Moon most frequently occurs in September, in which case it replaces the Corn Moon. But on some occasions, it falls in October taking the place of the Hunter's Moon.

Full moons are a lunar phase that occur roughly once every month when the moon is located opposite the sun in space, with the Earth in between.

The term Harvest Moon is different from the other traditional full moon names, which are each associated with a specific month.