Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2019 September 13

                               A Harvest Moon
              Image Credit & Copyright: Jean-Francois Graffand

   Explanation: Famed in festival, story, and song the best known full
   moon is the Harvest Moon. For northern hemisphere dwellers that's a
   traditional name of the closest full moon to the September equinox. In
   most North America time zones this year's Harvest Moon will officially
   rise on Friday, September 13. In fact the same Harvest Moon will rise
   on September 14 for much of the planet though. Of course the Moon will
   look almost full in the surrounding days. Regardless of your time zone
   the Harvest Moon, like any other full moon, will rise just opposite the
   setting Sun. Near the horizon, the Moon Illusion might make it appear
   bigger and brighter to you but this Harvest Moon will be near lunar
   apogee. That's the closest point in its orbit, making it the most
   distant, and so the smallest, full moon of the year. On August 15 a
   wheat field harvested in south central France made this a harvest moon
   scene too, the full moon shining on with beautiful iridescent clouds at
   sunset.

                Tomorrow's picture: little planet, exoplanets
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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