Reviewed by: Pat Byington
Harvest moon, last supermoon of 2023, to appear this week
Thursday and Friday, the fourth supermoon of the year will shine over The Magic City. Keep reading to learn more.
This year’s last supermoon
Supermoons happen when a full moon is unusually closer to Earth in its orbit, making it appear much bigger and brighter than normal – in fact, the moon will look about 14% larger and 30% brighter than normal on Thursday and Friday, according to Space.com
Known as the harvest moon, this supermoon usually happens in September or October and historically has marked the harvest season. Farmers would use the extra light from the moon to work at night harvesting crops.
What makes this month’s supermoon so special
The Harvest Moon will be the fourth consecutive supermoon of 2023. Previous supermoons this year include:
- The buck moon in July
- The sturgeon moon in August
- The super blue moon in August
Additionally, three planets will be visible alongside September’s harvest moon: Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Look for Saturn in the Aquarius constillation, Jupiter in the Aries constillation, and Mercury just before moonset on Saturday.
When and where to watch
The harvest moon will be visible Thursday night and Friday morning, with its brightness peaking around 6AM Friday. Here are a few places we recommend to watch the harvest moon:
- Vulcan Park, 1701 Valley View Dr, Birmingham, AL 35209
- Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Drive Pelham, AL 35124
- Cahaba River Park, 2793 River Road, Helena, AL 35080
- Christenberry Planetarium, 800 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham, AL 35229
- James Wylie Shepherd Observatory, 1093 Pebble Road, Montevallo, AL 35115
#CM
