Vancouver sky-watchers, rejoice!
Last month, locals were treated to a couple of clear nights to view the bright sturgeon moon at its fullest. And this September, they'll be treated to another luminous lunar spectacle: a full "harvest" moon.
In 2020, the harvest moon occurred in October. This year, however, September's full moon will hold the "harvest" title since it falls closest to the fall equinox; its moon carries this moniker every two years out of three.
The Old Farmer's Almanac states that "this full Moon name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked the time when corn was supposed to be harvested."
The Harvest Moon was given its name because farmers needed its silvery light to harvest crops. It has since inspired a rather dreamy, beautiful song by Canadian icon Neil Young, too.
The September moon will be at its fullest in Vancouver on Monday, Sept. 20 at 4:54 p.m., according to timeanddate.com.
Sky-watchers should opt to travel as far away from city lights as possible in order to avoid light pollution that will obscure the clarity of heavenly bodies. While this works best in more remote places, anywhere that has a higher elevation will also provide more ideal viewing conditions.
Earlier this spring, a video on social media showed the International Space Station passing over Crab Park. An astronomer at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre explained how you can view the satellite passing overhead, too.
