A full Harvest Moon will be visible from the UK this weekend. Sky gazers will be able to see a full, bright Moon light up the sky on Saturday, September 26.
A Harvest Moon usually falls on the date closest to the official start of autumn, known as the autumnal equinox. According to NASA, the name of the Harvest Moon dates back to the time before electricity, when farmers depended on the Moon's light to harvest their crops late into the night. The Moon's light was particularly important during autumn, when harvests are the largest.
Why the Harvest Moon occurs
Astronomical autumn officially began this week, as the autumn equinox falls every year on September 22 or 23. During the equinox, the sun shines directly above the Earth's equator, resulting in day and night being nearly equal in length across the globe.
Unlike meteorological seasons, astronomical seasons are determined by the Earth's position in its orbit around the sun. Because the Earth's orbit is not perfectly uniform, the exact date of the equinox can vary slightly from year to year.
Best time and places to view
The full Moon will reach its maximum point at 5.49pm on Saturday, September 26. People across the UK will be able to view it, although exact times may vary in different regions.
BBC weather said: "The current forecast suggests Saturday could bring some drier and brighter weather, particularly across parts of England. However, there is some cloud further west and rain for parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland by the evening."
"The best chance of clearer skies currently looks to be across some southern and eastern parts of the UK, while conditions are expected to be more changeable elsewhere."
What the Harvest Moon means for the seasons
The Harvest Moon comes as the nights are starting to draw in. The sunset currently takes place around 7pm, which is a sure sign the colder months are almost upon us.
Next month, the clocks will move back one hour, which means we will soon be saying farewell to the long hours of sunlight we've enjoyed over the past few months. When the clocks go back, the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). This year, the clocks will go back on October 25, and we will get an extra hour in bed. We'll then see lighter mornings, but darker evenings throughout the winter months when the sun will set before 5pm.
