People in the Northern Hemisphere will have one more time to see a special supermoon in the night sky on Friday, and a few planets will make some cameos alongside.
The fourth supermoon of 2023, known as the Harvest Moon, is expected to appear on Friday, Sept. 29. The moon is expected to turn full when it reaches a point in the sky opposite the sun, according to Space.com. The moon is expected to enter that phase and reach peak illumination at 5:58 a.m. EST, NASA said.
The “harvest” part of the Harvest Moon’s name is derived from a time when farmers depended on the light reflected off the moon to harvest crops late at night, according to NASA. By the fall, the moonlight was very important for what was usually the year’s biggest harvest.
What gives Earth’s lonely satellite the moniker of “super” is that it will orbit much closer to the planet until it reaches perigee, or the closest point in the moon’s elliptical orbit, according to timeanddate.com. NASA said the moment of perigee was on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 9:06 p.m. EST.
When the moon’s fully illuminated side faces Earth, it will be around 224,657 miles away from the planet, Space.com reported. This is a contrast to the average distance of 238,000 miles between the two bodies.
A few celestial bodies will also appear in the night sky with the Harvest Moon will be Saturn on Saturday, which is expected to be visible in the direction of the constellation Aquarius at around 5:18 p.m. EST, Space.com said. Jupiter is also expected to appear to the left of the Harvest Moon at around 8:17 p.m. EST, visible near the constellation Aries.
Finally, Mercury is also expected to make an appearance on Saturday, but it will be hardest to spot. At this time of year, Mercury is at its furthest point away from the sun, according to Space.com. It’s expected to be visible for over an hour before the supermoon sets at 9:20 a.m., according to timeanddate.com.
After a year of several supermoons, stargazers are going to have to wait almost a whole year until the first of only two supermoons take place over the course of 2024. The next supermoon will also be a Harvest Moon, scheduled to appear on Sept. 18, 2024, followed by a second about a month later on Oct. 17, according to Space.com.
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So what will the weather be like later in the week for all those who want to see the Harvest Moon? Looking toward New England’s weather on Friday and Saturday, the National Weather Service said there “is quite a bit of uncertainty” with rain potentially on the way. Forecasters believe there is a chance for “significant precipitation,” especially south of Interstate 90.
There’s confidence that any precipitation will be out of the region by Saturday afternoon, with the skies opening to deliver some sunshine and a potentially clear night sky. To get a clear view of the moon without the risk of any light pollution, locations such as Cape Cod National Seashore, Wachusett Mountain State Reservation or Lake Dennison Recreation Area are recommended by Go Astronomy’s Dark Sky Parks in Massachusetts page.
