The Harvest Moon of 2016 Approaches

Fall is officially here in just a few days, but the signs of its arrival have already begun to appear.

The constellation Orion can be seen rising in the eastern skies, just before dawn, and the Harvest Moon is set to appear on Saturday, September 16^th.

So, just what is a Harvest Moon? Well, according to EarthSky.org, the Harvest Moon is “the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. Depending on the year, the Harvest Moon can come anywhere from two weeks before to two weeks after the autumn equinox.” The word on the street is that farmers, before the days of John Deere, would take advantage of the bright moonlight to harvest their crops.

This year’s Harvest Moon could be a little bigger and brighter, than usual. This is because it is in near perigee, which is the closest point which the moon is to Earth in its monthly orbit.

You may want to view the moon Wednesday and Thursday evenings, because stormy weather may enter into Michigan on Friday and Saturday..just a heads-up.

So, take the kids outside tonight and gaze upward..let the cool air drift across your face as you take in the free show.