There Is Something Special Going On In The Sky Tonight: The Harvest Moon
By Steven Strouss
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There is something special going on in the sky tonight. The Harvest Moon is forming. This full moon is closest to the autumnal equinox (Sept 23, 2014 at 10:29PM EDT) and is named for the harvest season when farmers begin gathering their crops. This Harvest Moon will be brighter and appear a bit bigger than usual because the moon turns full less than 24 hrs after reaching lunar perigee - the moon's closet point to Earth. Unfortunately, cloud cover over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast associated with a coastal low will limit viewing but if you are an adventurer you could head a few hours west for better conditions or keep a close eye to sky for a brief break in the clouds overnight.
The Harvest Moon tends to rise around sunset which often gives it a reddish glow and will set around 6am, shortly before sunrise. The Harvest Moon will turn full at 9:38PM EDT tonight.
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