By Doyle Rice for USA TODAY
The final full moon of summer – known this year as the “Corn” Moon – will rise in the eastern sky Tuesday night.
The Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern U.S. coined the term Corn Moon, according to the Maine Farmer’s Almanac, since this was the time for gathering their main staple crops of corn, pumpkins, squash, beans and wild rice.
European names for this full moon are the Fruit Moon, as a number of fruits ripen as the end of summer approaches, and the Barley Moon, from the harvesting and threshing of barley, according to NASA.
This year, September’s full moon is not the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox (which is Sept. 22). This year, you’ll have to wait until Oct. 1 for the Harvest Moon.
“The full moon that happens nearest to the autumnal equinox always takes on the name ‘Harvest Moon’ instead of a traditional name – a rule that often places the Harvest Moon in the month of September,” the Old Farmers Almanac explains.
“However, when September’s full moon occurs early in the month, the full moon of early October lands nearest to the autumnal equinox and therefore takes on the Harvest Moon title instead,” the Almanac said.
Lunacy!:We have 13 full moons to look forward to in 2020. Here’s when you can see them.
October will feature the moon event of the year.
The month will have two full moons, including one on Halloween night. The next time we’ll see an equally spooky moon is 2039 so plan your werewolf costumes accordingly.
The Halloween full moon will be a Blue Moon because it’s the second full moon of the month, which is one of the definitions of a Blue Moon.
As for Tuesday night’s Corn Moon, though it will look plenty full all night long, the official moment of the full moon is 1:22 a.m. EDT Wednesday morning. Read more from USA TODAY.
