1 May 2014
THE SHORT ANSWER (TSA)
For many of us, the Harvest Moon is a series of orange moons, full or near full, that appear in August and September of each year. But the “technical” Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the fall or autumnal equinox. The autumnal equinox is the first day autumn and falls on or around September 23rd of each year. When we say “closest” the first day of autumn we mean the full moon closest before or after the first day of autumn.
Now, for the Hunter’s Moon.
The Hunter’s Moon is the first full moon after the Harvest Moon. If you are interested, the Harvest and Hunter’s Moon’s are unique in a rather technical way. Usually, the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day because of the speed of the Moon’s rotation around the earth. But that period becomes shorter in the fall. During the Harvest and Hunter’s Moon, the moon rises only about 30 minutes later each day. This is something you or I aren’t very likely to notice, but it’s part of the technical definition of these “moons.”
There appears to be at least one reference to the Hunter’s Moon in England in the early 18th Century. But, in America, the name “Hunter’s Moon” is said to be of Native American origin. The city of Lafayette, Indiana holds a yearly festival in late September or early October called the “Feast of the Hunters’ Moon.”
By the way, is it Hunter’s or Hunters’ Moon? I’m not sure. The actual full moon seems to be written Hunter’s, but the Feast is written Hunters’.
M Grossmann of Hazelwood, Missouri & Belleville, Illinois
Lots of Moons & Music 