A few facts, definitions, dates, and even a song about the harvest moon...
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Keith's Harvest Moon Page
A few facts, definitions, dates, and even a song about the harvest moon... |
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Q. What is a harvest moon? A. Simply put, the harvest moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the date of the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. |
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Some people claim that the harvest moon shines brighter and more golden than during normal full moons. However, since the time between moonrises on successive nights is shorter in autumn than at any other time of year, there is very little darkness between sunset and moonrise.
The continuance of the moonlight after sunset is useful to farmers in northern latitudes, |
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Q. Does the harvest moon always occur in September? A. No, It depends on the date of the full moon with relationship to the equinox. |
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While it's a fact that most harvest moons do occur in September you need only to check 2001 to see that it can, from time to time, fall in October. |
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Q. How do I determine the date of a harvest moon? A. Step 1. - Find the date of the autumn equinox for the year desired. (Example: The autumn equinox for the year 2001 occurs on Sept. 22nd)
Step 2. - Now determine the full moon dates for both
September and October.
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| A Few Harvest Moon Dates... |
| Harvest Moons 2000-2003 | ||
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| Year | Equinox Date | Harvest Moon Date |
| 2000 | Sep. 22nd | Sep. 23rd |
| 2001 | Sep. 22nd | Oct. 2nd |
| 2002 | Sep. 23rd | Sep. 21st |
| 2003 | Sep. 23rd | Sep. 10th |
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Q. Are there any songs about the harvest moon ? A. Plenty, But this is probably the most famous one of all.
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