The full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, known as the Harvest Moon, will grace the night sky on Saturday.
Sky gazers need only to look to the horizon on September 29 at dusk to spy an orange-red hued moon. More specifically, the Harvest moon will crest at 10:19 p.m. CDT/ 11:19 p.m. EDT/ 8:19pm PDT. While there is no major distinguishing factor between the moon's behaviors on this or any other day, the atmosphere is denser in the direction of the horizon, scattering blue light and ensuring that the human eye mostly registers red.
Astronomy magazine editor Bob Berman, who will speak on a panel of astronomers during an event on Slooh that will provide a live feed of the event, clarified that "the Harvest Moon is widely misunderstood," and that "it's behavior is unique, and yet its appearance is no different from any other moon. That will be one major focus of Saturday night's live coverage." Slooh's Space Camera webcast will commence at 7 p.m. EDT, and will be available to both PCs and internet-enabled phones. Berman, Slooh observatory engineer Paul Cox, Berman, and Slooh president Patrick Paloucci will speak on the panel. Slooh will also use the show to speak about Uranus's appearance in the night sky beside the Harvest moon.
Berman explains, "As for Uranus, with its singular green color and wild axial tilt, its permanent overcast never allows us to see markings of any kind, and yet its story is nothing short of fascinating."
Those unable to see the Harvest Moon or Uranus for themselves, or others who seek stimulating astronomical conversation, should make sure to tune in to Slooh's live feed this weekend.
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