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It’s that time of the year! The infamous Friday the 13th. What does this entail? According to heavy, ,the Full Harvest moon will rise at sunset then continue to rise close to dusk for several nights in a row, making it seem as if a full moon has been taking place several nights in a row. Thursday night through Sunday morning, NASA says “that the Moon will appear full for about three days centered around this time.”
The Harvest Moon Relates to the Timing of the Autumnal Equinox
According to Farmer’s Almanac, the Harvest Moon does not associate itself with any specific month, like most other full moons. Instead, it “relates to the timing of the autumnal equinox.” Between September 22-23, the autumnal equinox, a.k.a. the September or fall equinox, occurs. The moon that rises closest to those dates would be considered the “Harvest Moon.”
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2. For the First Time in 13 Years, this Year’s Harvest Moon Falls on Friday the 13th
Pretty creepy, right? On September 14th, 2019, the Harvest Moon will be full, according to NASA. It will appear “opposite” the Sun at around 12:33 AM EDT. From Thursday night through Sunday morning, the Moon will appear full. According to Farmer’s Almanac, in order to have a full moon occur on the 13th day of a certain month and for it to be Friday is a “once in 20-year occurrence.”
Embrace this day like it’s your last.
This Year’s Harvest Moon is a ‘Mini’ or ‘Micro-Moon’
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According to Time and Date, folklore tales suggest “full moons and micro moons affect human mental health and bring on natural disasters, like earthquakes, but no scientific evidence supports any such correlation.” Today’s Harvest Moon will actually be a micro moon, appearing 14 % smaller than a Supermoon. A micro moon happens when a New Moon and a full moon coincide with apogee, which is the point in the orbit farthest from Earth.
The Number 13 Brings Bad Luck?
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According to History, the number 13 is associated with bringing bad luck. Tales like becoming a werewolf or being attacked by one are one of many spooky myths that take place on Friday the 13th. Also, the seating arrangement for the Last Supper supposedly 13 guests sat at the table with Jesus the night before he was crucified on Good Friday.
So, when did the number 13 start to bring bad luck?
In 1907, Thomas William Lawson published his novel Friday, the Thirteenth, about a New York City stockbroker who plays on superstitions about the date in order to wreak havoc on Wall Street.
The best example of the legendary date would be the 1980 film, Friday the 13th, which introduced audiences to a series of the infamous serial murderer, Jason. The series introduced at least a dozen films, telling new tales about Jason and his family.
I, personally, have not seen any of the Friday the 13th film series, and am so excited to have the night off to have a little film fun! Stay safe and enjoy the beautiful Harvest Moon.
