The most notorious full moon of the year, the “Harvest Moon,” is here! It is traditionally known as the Harvest Moon because it’s the full moon closest to the autumn equinox and illuminates the sky enough for farmers to continue harvesting their crops well into the night.
The Harvest Moon heralds in the fall season appropriately, glowing an autumnal orange-yellow as it rises on the eastern horizon. Here’s what you need to know to plan the best viewing of the Harvest Moon tonight.
When is the Harvest Moon?
You will see the Harvest Moon in all its glory tonight at 23:55 Universal Time, but here is a list of the best times to see it from a few major cities.
Just after sunset tonight, September 20, 2021
You can witness the full Harvest Moon rising into a twilight sky tonight here:
- In New York City, the sun sets at 6:58 pm EDT and the moon rises at 7:14 pm EDT (the moment of full moon is at 6:56 EDT).
- In Los Angeles, the sun sets at 6:53 pm PDT and the moon will rise at 7:11 pm PDT (the moment of full moon is earlier in the day at 3:56 PDT).
- In London, the sun sets at 7:05 pm BST and the moon will rise at 7:24 pm BST (the moment of full moon is at 11:56 pm BST)
Tomorrow also offers another chance to witness the full Harvest Moon rise beautifully into the sky.
- In New York, the sun sets at 6:56 pm EDT and moonrise is at 7:58 pm EDT.
- In Los Angeles, the sun sets at 6:52 pm PDT and moonrise is at 7:38 pm PDT.
- In London, the sun sets at 7:03 pm BST and moonrise is a 7:39 pm BST.
Where to see the “Harvest Moon”
For the best viewpoint, try to find a location that has an unobstructed view low to the eastern horizon. This will give you a great seat to watch the moon rise as the sun sets. If you’re in an urban area with a lot of light pollution, you don’t need to worry about leaving the city in favor of dark country skies—city lights won’t take away from the spectacular light of the moon.
