Come howl at the moon with us and join us for our full moon sound bath events in the courtyard

What is a Harvest Moon? The full moon that appears in September is called the Harvest Moon. The most familiar named moon, September’s Harvest Moon refers to the time of year after the autumn equinox when crops were gathered by Native Americans. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice are the chief Native American staples that were ready for gathering. It also refers to the Harvest Moon’s particularly bright appearance and early rise, which lets farmers continue harvesting into the night. Usually the full Moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe.

Harvest Moon and Autumn Equinox

The Harvest Moon does not always occur in September. Traditionally, the name goes to the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, which falls during October once or twice a decade.

Harvest Moon Name Variations

The Harvest Moon of September is sometimes referred to as the the Corn Moon or the Barley Moon.

  What is a Hunters Moon? The full moon that appears in October is called the Hunters Moon. The first moon after the Harvest Moon is the Hunters Moon, so named as the preferred month to hunt summer-fattened deer and fox unable to hide in now bare fields. Like the Harvest Moon, the Hunters Moon is also particularly bright and long in the sky, giving hunters the opportunity to stalk prey at night. Probably because of the threat of winter looming close, the Hunters Moon is generally accorded with special honor, historically serving as an important feast day in both Western Europe and among many Native American tribes. Note that some years the Harvest Moon falls in October instead of September.

Hunters Moon Name Variations

The Hunters Moon of October is sometimes referred to as the Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon, as the Native Americans named this bright moon for obvious reasons. Other names for this full moon include the Travel Moon and the Dying Grass Moon.

When is the next Hunters Moon?

  What is a Beaver Moon? The full moon that appears in November is called the Beaver Moon. There is disagreement over the origin of November’s beaver moon name. Some say it comes from Native Americans setting beaver traps during this month before the swamps froze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Others say that the Beaver Moon comes from the heavy activity of beavers building their winter dams.

Beaver Moon Name Variations:

The Beaver Moon of November was sometimes also referred to as the Frost Moon by some Native American tribes.

The Cold Moon was given its name for the long, cold winter nights.    

December’s full moon has earned the nickname of the Cold Moon.

This year's Cold Moon falls on Thursday, just one night before the Geminids, one of the most reliable meteor showers of the year.

The origins of the nicknames given to each full moon can be traced back hundreds of years to the Native Americans.

“In Native American cultures which tracked the calendar by the moons, December’s full moon was known as the Full Cold Moon,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac said.

“It is fittingly associated with the month when the winter cold fastens its grip and the nights become long and dark,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac said.

December’s full moon is also called the Long Night’s Moon because it typically occurs near the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.

Other names for the final full moon of the year include the Moon Before Yule, the Oak Moon and the Bitter Moon.

Although December’s full moon goes by several different names, it will appear the same in the sky as other full moons throughout the year.

However, the moon may appear bigger when it is near the horizon due to something known as the moon illusion.

“This is an optical illusion. For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, building or other foreground objects,” NASA said.