The Moon just reached its full phase here in Paradelle at 5:10 PM ET. The Full Moon immediately following the Harvest Moon is often called the Hunter’s Moon. The Hunter’s Moon (like the Harvest Moon) rises along your eastern horizon for the next several days, from either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, and you’ll see the moon rising farther north on the horizon each day.
September in some years is the month of the Harvest Moon but other years it is in October because that name is given to the Full Moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. That was last month’s September 23rd Harvest Full Moon for 2019.
Going back to before artificial lighting (and light pollution), the moonlight was important for anything done after sunset – from traveling, to working, to hunting. At this time of year, a Full Moon rising in the east around sunset and being highest in the sky around midnight, and setting in the west around sunrise could provide. In the northern latitudes, people noticed the differing rising times of September and October full moons. The Moon rising near sunset for several evenings could mean that farmers might continue working in the fields and bringing in the crops. That partially led to the Harvest Moon name.
The American Indian names are always more interesting, longer and sometimes quite literal, such as the Cheyenne’s Moon When the Water Begins to Freeze on the Edge of Streams or the Cree’s Moon When the Birds Fly South (although lately, some birds are not flying south from Paradelle anymore).
This month I selected the Leaf Falling Moon name used by the Abenaki. Leaves falling is certainly a sign of October in my part of the country.
For those in the Southern Hemisphere, you can call this Spring Full Moon the Egg Moon, Fish Moon, Seed Moon, Pink Moon, or Waking Moon.
Weekends in Paradelle 