The Last Harvest Moon of the Year

Early on Friday September 29, 2023 the last Harvest Moon of the year will be visible at its peak (or for you to peek)  in the Madison, WI area at just a few minutes before 5:00 AM in the morning, 4:57 AM to be exact.

So even though it will technically rise at sunset on the 28th, it will be at its point highest in the sky in the early morning on the 29th for us to look at.

So Why is it called a Harvest Moon?

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, for several evenings, the moonrise comes soon after sunset. This results in an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening, which was a traditional aid to farmers and crews harvesting their summer-grown crops. Hence, it’s called the “Harvest” Moon!

Of course this was more important before we had electricity and harvesting machinery. Imagine working all day bringing in the corn by hand and setting up shocks in the fields…and then getting to work half the night as well! Bonus!

And for you school kids, an extra hour for morning chores before that long walk, up-hill both ways to school. Yea!

Make it a Family Event

Grab some hot chocolate, an old wool blanket and head out to an open area to take in one of God’s natural wonders. It could be a fun bonding event with your family. And it will probably bring back some good memories of when you saw your first Harvest Moon.