The Harvest Moon ends a Supermoon-filled summer

Published 3:46 pm Friday, September 29, 2023

September’s full moon, known as the Harvest Moon, is a special moon this year. It will rise on Friday, Sept. 29 at 7:03 p.m. The Harvest Moon is also a supermoon.
Didn’t we just have a supermoon, no wait two supermoons, back in August? What makes September’s supermoon so special?
It is one of 2023’s four successive supermoons, but what makes it special is, that it is the final supermoon of the year, thus marking the end of a very supermoony summer.

The run of four consecutive supermoons began with the Full Buck Moon on July 3.
This was followed by two supermoons in Aug., the Full Sturgeon Moon on Tuesday, Aug.1 and the Full Blue Moon on Aug. 30.

It is fitting that such a special supermoon will be joined by a parade of planets in September’s night skies, including the solar system’s two largest, Jupiter and Saturn, as well as its smallest, Mercury.

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The first planet to visit the final supermoon of 2023 will be Saturn, the second-largest planet in the solar system.

Skywatchers who miss the Harvest Moon will have to wait a while for the next supermoon, which will also be a Harvest Moon, rising on Sept. 18, 2024.
This will be the first of two supermoons next year, with the second occurring a month later on Oct. 17, 2024.
So put the devices down, cut off the TV and go outside to enjoy the beauty of this supermoon. It is the last one for a while.

(Sources: www.space.com and photos by Tracye Prewitt)