Eyes to the Sky Monday in St. Cloud to See 2021’s Harvest Moon
Fall arrives on Wednesday, September 22nd, but a huge fall milestone arrives a few days earlier. The 2021 Harvest Moon will illuminate the night sky on Monday, September 20th. EarthSky.org shared:
Depending on the year, the full Harvest Moon can occur anywhere from two weeks before the autumn equinox to two weeks after. The Harvest Moon is either the last full moon of the summer season, or the first full moon in autumn. This year, the September full moon is the fourth of the season’s four full moons.
A Harvest Moon isn't any different than the normal moon we see in the night sky, it's just a fancy label that is put on it. It got its name from the season it appears in, as the light from the moon provided more time for farmers to gather crops from the field before ample lighting on equipment was developed.
The Harvest Moon has also been known by some other names according to Space.com:
Rutting Moon: The Cree peoples called it the Rutting Moon, because elk in September start to rub the velvet off of their antlers ahead of the mating season.
Falling Leaves Moon: The Ojibwe called it the Falling Leaves Moon, because this is the time of year the leaves start to fall off trees.
Nut Moon: The Cherokee called it the Nut Moon, because it is when many trees start bearing them. Think acorns.
Keep those eyes to the sky and welcome fall with the Harvest Moon on Monday. May it bring you an abundance of good energy and positive vibes.