According to the Old Farmer's Almanac: "The September 2026 Full Harvest Moon peaks on Saturday, September 26, at 12:49 P.M. Eastern Time. Rising low on the horizon, it will appear bigger, brighter, and more golden than any other Moon this year, casting long light across autumn fields and evening skies."
That's 9:49 Mountain Standard Time here in Phoenix, and I caught it at the absolute peak. As predicted, as the moon came up over the eastern horizon, it had a golden color to it, and semi-shrouded by a cloud layer...
The Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the autumnal equinox (September 22 or 23). Unlike other Full Moons, it rises about the same time for several nights, providing extended evening light. Historically, this extra illumination helped farmers complete their harvests before fall frosts.
Other Moon names for this month highlight how September is the transitional period between summer and fall:
- Autumn Moon (Cree)
- Falling Leaves Moon (Ojibwe)
- Leaves Turning Moon (Anishinaabe)
- Moon of Brown Leaves (Lakota)
- Yellow Leaf Moon (Assiniboine)
The behavior of animals is also a common theme, with Child Moon (Tlingit) referring to the time when young animals are weaned, and Mating Moon and Rutting Moon (both Cree) describing the time of year when certain animals, like moose, elk, and deer, are looking to mate.
The cloud cover opened up as it got close to 9:00 pm, and I was able to get a clear shot of this month's full moon...
Very bright out there! No, I didn't hear anything howling at it.
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