October Astronomy

October's full moon will occur this evening and tomorrow night.  It is traditionally called the Hunter's Moon.  

Before European settlement Native Americans knew it as that time of year when people would hunt deer and other animals to lay-up stores of food for the winter. The Anishinaabe people knew it as the Falling Leaves Moon while the fall bird migration led the Cree to refer to it as the Migrating Moon  With the arrival of frosts it has also been called the Ice Moon or Freezing Moon. 

Image credit: Starry Night/Chris Vaughan

This full moon will also be the first and smallest of three consecutive supermoons in 2025. It will appear about 4% larger and 13% brighter than an average full moon (shown by the red circle), cross the sky from sunset to sunrise, and will produce large tides around the world. Because this full moon occurs nearest to the autumnal equinox in 2025, it is also the Harvest Moon.

On the evenings around its full phase, the moon normally rises about 50 minutes later than the previous night.  But the shallow slope of the evening ecliptic (and the moon's orbit) around the equinox causes Harvest Moons to rise at almost the same time each night — only delayed by as little as 10 minutes, depending on your latitude. This phenomenon traditionally allowed farmers to work into the evening under bright moonlight — hence the name.

Join the discussion LIVE as you learn: what makes a full moon a Harvest Moon, the science behind supermoons, tips for observing the Harvest Moon in your sky. 

This livestream is perfect for beginners, stargazers, and anyone curious about the night sky. 

Learn everything you need to know before the moon rises!