Full Harvest Moon 2023 September: Don't miss the last supermoon of the year; Know when and how to watch

A celestial spectacle known as the Harvest Moon, the last supermoon of 2023, will rise on Thursday and reach its peak on Friday.

This luminous event holds particular significance as it coincides with the autumn equinox, which marks the beginning of autumn and the peak harvest season for many crops.

Let's delve into the details and learn more about this extraordinary lunar phenomenon.

What is a Harvest Moon?

The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the northern hemisphere's autumn equinox, which took place on September 23 this year.

This unique celestial event has long been celebrated as a helpful aid for farmers, as it provides additional evenings of bright moonlight during the harvest season.

Unlike other full moons, the harvest moon rises around sunset for multiple evenings in a row, allowing farmers and harvesting crews more time to work under the illuminating moonlight.

Harvest Moon 2023: When and How to Watch

This year, the Harvest Moon will appear just after sunset on Thursday, September 28.

While its peak will occur at 04:30 AM IST on Friday, stargazers can still enjoy the full moon the night before and after its climax.

To witness this magnificent event in its full glory, NASA recommends using binoculars with a magnification of 7 or higher. A steady tripod may be necessary for larger magnifications.

The Science Behind Supermoons

Supermoons are characterised by the moon reaching its closest point to the Earth, resulting in a lunar perigee.

The Harvest Moon falls into this category as it comes within 90 percent of its perigee. The term "supermoon" was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 to describe this noteworthy alignment.

The Beautiful Glow and Illusion

The Harvest Moon's unique appearance is attributed to an optical illusion that occurs when the moon is close to the horizon.

It appears bigger and brighter than other full moons due to the moonlight filtering through the Earth's atmospheric particles.

The scattering of blue light and the penetration of red light create the moon's mesmerising orange and red hues.

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