Super Harvest Moon 2014 is the final "supermoon" of the year. According to the International Business Times, the Super Harvest Moon 2014 will rise on Monday and will be completing the trilogy of summer full moons that began in July.
Described by ABC News as a glowing orb around sunset, the Super Harvest Moon 2014 will provide the perfect backdrop for strollers. Sky gazers across North America will most especially delight in the scene as it only happens once in a blue moon.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Super Harvest Moon 2014 is considered the full moon that's closest to autumn's first day.
The Super Harvest Moon 2014 will happen tonight at 9:38 p.m., and it will reportedly be the closest to the Sept. 22 autumnal equinox. The autumnal equinox will happen as the sun crosses the celestial equator, which takes place on Sept. 23.
This Super Harvest Moon 2014 is called as such since for many years before there was electricity; farmers rely on the moon to illuminate their fields. Light coming from the moon is essential for the farmers to harvest their crops after the sun had set, according to EarthSky.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, not only is tonight's moon a harvest moon, but it is also a "supermoon" which can shed more light on fields.
The autumnal equinox reportedly signals the beginning of fall for the Northern Hemisphere. This means shorter days and longer nights. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere will be experiencing a vernal equinox, which means the start of spring and longer days, reports the International Business Times.
It is a well-known fact that the moon rises around sunset in the east and is in the sky all night long when it is full, then sets at sunrise.
The Super Harvest Moon 2014 is more special as the moon's path across the sky from sunset to sunrise will appear closer to the horizon. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the moon then will be rising less than a half-hour from one night to the next.
The September's Super Harvest Moon 2014 is the last supermoon this year, according to the IBT. Tonight, it will appear slightly larger and brighter than previous moons.
Apparently, the illusion is brought by the moon's elliptical orbit while reaching its closest distance to Earth, also known as perigee.
According to the IBT, the supermoon in August was considered the best of during the summer since the moon turned full within the hour it reached perigee.
The July and September supermoons on the other hand, occurred on the same day as perigee.
The September's Super Harvest Moon 2014 from the Canary Islands in Spain will be tracked by Slooh, the international organization of observatories and astronomers.
Slooh astronomer Bob Berman said in a statement of the Super Harvest Moon 2014, "Whether we call this a super Harvest Moon or a Harvest supermoon, and whether we fuss over the fact that lunar perigee happened just one night before this moon was full, there's no denying that it's the Harvest Moon."
He added, "This is the year's most famous full moon, and one of only two that even have a name. Yet it's bathed in myth and misconception even without all the extra 'supermoon' business. It will be fun to explore the true secrets of the Harvest Moon while watching it live."
The IBT reports that the Slooh broadcast of the Super Harvest Moon 2014 will also contain a discussion on the myths and history of the Harvest Moon.
Meanwhile, since the 2014 streak of supermoons is about to end, EarthSky reports that the first full moon supermoon of 2015.
Super Harvest Moon can be viewed live stream here. courtesy of Slooh.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
