The full moon closest to the autumn equinox in 2025, designated the Harvest Moon, rises on Oct. 6, instead of the usual September full moon. The full moon falls at 11:47 PM EDT (03:47 GMT Oct. 7), and the Moon will be near perigee, so it should look like a supermoon, or at least a little larger and brighter than a normal full moon.
The reason it is late is that the October full moon was nearer to the September equinox than the September full moon this year. Farmers have traditionally welcomed the Harvest Moon’s early brightness as a time to continue harvesting late into night, according to Space.com.
Explanation of the 2025 Harvest Moon being in October
Traditionalist farmers and nomadic hunters have dealt with nomenclature for moons of the seasons. In this case, the Harvest Moon is named by its timing of closeness, (to the autumn equinox), not merely the month. The full moon in September was on the 7th. This Harvest Moon is barely more proximate to the September equinox, only about 14 hours, so it is 2025’s Harvest Moon! This phenomenon occurs about 18 times in this century alone, between 1970 and 2050. The last Harvest Moon that occurred in October was in 2020, next is in 2028.
Timing of Viewing and Moon Rise
During the time of Harvest Moon, the moon rises earlier than usual night after night for an unaccustomed bright evening. Instead of the habitual 50 minute setback toward the next night’s rise, for mid-latitude locations it is only a 20-25 minute delay.
For instance, in Boston, the moon rises on October 5th at 5:32 PM, rises on October 6th at 5:55 PM, and rises on October 7th at 6:20 PM. This change in time once permitted farmers to work long after sunset with only minimal darkness.
Origins of Harvest Moon
The term “harvest moon” derived from both Native American and early colonial traditions (Britannica). It was the time of year for harvesting corn, pumpkins, squash, and wild rice. The moon rose around sunset for several nights allowing farmers to work later into the night without lanterns. Sometimes in years when the full moon in October is called Harvest Moon, it takes on the Hunter Moon name for the month as well.
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