Not only is today Friday the 13th, but a “harvest moon” will emerge in the night sky this weekend. A full moon on Friday the 13th is a very rare occurrence. The last time it happened was October 13th, 2000, and the next one wont happen until 2049. The harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. This year, the moon will turn full just before midnight tonight. What’s more, this year’s full moon will be smaller than usual because it coincides with apogee — the point in its orbit farthest away from the earth. This “micro-moon” is the opposite of last year’s “supermoon” when the full moon occurred during perigee, it’s closest point to earth. For several days after the initial appearance of the harvest moon, the moonrise will come soon after sunset. According to the farmer’s almanac, the additional light early in the evening gives farmers more time to harvest their summer crops, hence the name “harvest” moon.
