We all know the Autumn Equinox is approaching and will arrive late Wednesday night. But there's another, rarer treat in store, as well. From the script of last week's "Stargazer" show on PBS:
I'll prolly miss the next Harvest-est Moon but I'll be outside for this one, cloud cover permitting. Stay tuned for more "Moon Over the Super Eight!"Now traditionally the full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox, is called the Harvest Moon. And since the autumnal equinox Wednesday night will be followed by the full Moon only six hours later this year we are following the lead of astronomer Fred Schaaf and calling it the Harvestest Moon. The last time this happened was 1991 and the next time will be 2029.
But the Harvest Moon means even more because even though there is only one official night of the Harvest Moon the visual effects last for three nights, September 22, 23 and 24th. Now normally the Moon rises about 50 minutes later each successive night but the Harvest Moon rises only 20 to 25 minutes later each successive night. This is because the path of the full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox makes a much smaller angle with the horizon than at any other time of year.
Thanks for the heads up. But I figured the Mark Your Calendar title was going to have something to do with the Wings first pre-season game or something. First one for the Avs is tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI'm not lover of pre-season sports - excepting those lovely Arizona Springs when I got to go to bundles of Spring Training games in Tucson - but the NHL pre-season means that the end of this dreary hockey off-season is nigh.
Cool, very cool. We'll be watching...heck we won't have to watch. We'll be driving home tomorrow night around 7:00pm and the harvest moon will hang over the landscape - announcing its presence with great authority.
ReplyDeleteOT, I was walking outside to lunch today and passed by a group of guys speaking very excitedly about the 5-pack sampler of cigars that one of them had gotten; he spoke with great passion about how great they were with the beer he had last night.
Buck - I thought of you! I turned to see if it WAS you.
Andy: Yeah, I'm not much for the pre-season, either. It's a moot point since so very few of the games are televised. But I DO read about 'em, tho.
ReplyDeleteKris: What!?! You mean there are OTHER crazies out there that go on about cigars and beer? Who'd a thunk it!
I'm hopin' our recent spate of VERY cloudy weather breaks by Wednesday. Today is mostly overcast and yesterday was kinda sorta the same. But even if there are broken clouds this series of full moons should be spectacular. Mebbe even especially if there are broken clouds...
Buck I wish you could have heard them. They were all in their late 20s and the guy who had the cigar sampler was quite literally "holding court" - the other guys were ooo-ing and ahhh-ing over the whole idea of a sample of 5 cigars. I parted ways with them at the top of some stairs just as the conversation turned to the beer consumed. But the passion for the subject did not change.
ReplyDeleteI really did think of you; almost walked over to them to give them your blog addy!
I AM amazed. It's good to know I'm not alone, too! ;-)
ReplyDeleteHarvest-est. Love it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'll especially love seeing summer disappear in the rear-view. In a month or so. Or longer.
*sigh*
I love a full moon, but it brings out the critters and my dogs will howl.
ReplyDeleteMoogie: I'm ready for some cooler weather, as well. The incessant droning of the air conditioner... which is about 18 inches from my left ear as I sit at my desk (or what passes for one)... is getting on my last nerve.
ReplyDeleteLou: I used to howl with my dogs. It was great good fun.