NewsBeat
Harvest Moon 2026 – Why September’s full moon is so special
While few people now rely on the moonlight to work late into the evening, it remains a special night for stargazers, with the dazzling full moon also drawing photographers keen to capture its beauty.
The Bolton News reported on September 23, the autumn equinox, the moon looked incredibly bright. That is because it was in its waxing gibbous phase.
The phase gets its name from the increasing amount of the Moon’s surface lit up by the Sun. During this stage, the bright section continues to grow until the Moon reaches its fully illuminated state.
It acts as a countdown to the full moon, with the lunar surface becoming increasingly bright night after night.
The Harvest Moon or corn moon is so called because this is when crops are gathered at the end of the summer season. At this time, the moon appears particularly bright and rises early, letting farmers continue harvesting into the night. This moon is also sometimes named the barley moon, and it is often the nearest full moon to the autumnal equinox, earning the title of harvest moon.
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