Friday, October 6, 2006, a full Harvest Moon will rise above the farmers' fields. Many people mistakenly think that the Harvest Moon always occurs in September. But the Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal Equinox. For 2006, the fall equinox occured late on September 22 and a few minutes into September 23 for those on the East Coast. The full moon for September occurred on the 7th. October's full moon occurs on the 6th. Therefore, October's full moon is slightly closer to the equinox and earns the title of the Harvest Moon.
The Harvest Moon was named for farmers who did not have the advantage of modern eqiupment to finish the harvest quickly. On the night of the full moon, farmers could work late into the night with the aid of moonlight.
Every month has a name for the Full Moon. And the name of that moon depends on the source. The names come from Native American sources, medieval sources, neo-pagan sources, and more. If you don't like any in the list below, feel free to make up your own names for the Full Moons. Maybe at your house you celebrate the Back-To-School Moon or the Yearly Bonus Moon. Here are some of the more traditional names:
- January --- Old Moon, Wolf Moon, Ice Moon
- February --- Hunger Moon, Storm Moon, Snow Moon
- March --- Worm Moon, Crust Moon, Chaste Moon, Sap Moon, Maple Sugar Moon, Crow Moon, Lenten Moon, Death Moon
- April --- Pink Moon, Planter's Moon, Seed Moon, Awakening Moon, Frog Moon, Egg Moon
- May --- Flower Moon, Milk Moon, Hare Moon
- June --- Stawberry Moon, Rose Moon, Flower Moon
- July --- Blood Moon, Buck Moon, Thunder Moon
- August --- Sturgeon Moon, Corn Moon, Green Corn Moon
- September --- Harvest Moon, Fruit Moon, Barley Moon
- October --- Harvest Moon, Hunter's Moon
- November --- Beaver Moon, Frost Moon
- December --- Cold Moon, Long Night Moon
What are you favorite names for the full moon?
