September Night Sky

Commonly known as the Corn Moon - it is also known as the Fruit, Barley, and Hungry Ghost Moon. 

When the the moon rises tonight and tomorrow it will appear full on both Sunday and Monday evenings this time of year.   

Prevention.com

The Farmer's Almanac first published Native American names for the full Moons in the 1930s and over the years these names have become widely known. Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern states called this the Corn Moon - as this was the time for gathering their main staple crops of corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice. 

European names for this full Moon are the Fruit Moon, as a number of fruits ripen as the end of summer approaches, and the Barley Moon, from the harvesting and threshing of the barley. 

This full Moon is also associated with the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival. The seventh month of the Chinese calendar is the Ghost Month and a Full Moon is known as the Ghost Day – when spirits, including those of deceased ancestors, come out to visit the living. 

Have a terrific full moon. 

 

Autumn is definitely in the air.

 

 

August Night Sky

August’s Full Moon is called the Sturgeon Moon because of the great number of this huge freshwater fish that could once be found in lakes and rivers in North America. 

With the arrival of Europeans in North America many of the Native American names for the astronomical calendar were adopted and incorporated into the modern calendar. 

Other names for this Full Moon include Grain Moon, Green Corn Moon, Fruit Moon, and Barley Moon – inspiration for these names is derived from the abundance of crops to be harvested this month.  

 

The indigenous Anishinaabe people of the Great Lakes region call it Manoominike-giizis, the Wild Rice Moon, or Miine Giizis, the Blueberry Moon. The Cree Nation of central USA and Canada calls the August full moon Ohpahowipîsim, the Flying Up Moon. The Iroquois of Eastern North America call it Seskéha, the Freshness Moon.

 

Anyway, fingers-crossed for clear skies tonight and tomorrow.

July Night Sky

2023 Full Buck Moon

The names associated with our full moons are frequently derived from the names given by the indigenous peoples that inhabited North America.  The tribes used a calendar to track the seasons by means of the names given to the return of a full moon.  The Ojibwe people of the Great Lakes region call this moon Abitaa-niibini Giizis, the Halfway Summer Moon, or Mskomini Giizis, the Raspberry Moon.  

In the northern hemisphere the full moon that greets us today is called the Buck Moon in recognition of the rapidly-growing, velvet-covered, antlers of the whitetail deer. As a consequence of summer storms it is sometimes called the Thunder Moon.   It always shines in or near the stars of Sagittarius or Capricornus. It will appear at its fullest tonight and tomorrow night.  Look for it to rise in the east after sunset; highest at midnight and setting in the west at dawn.

With the arrival of European settlers two additional monikers come to mind:  the Meade Moon which coincides the harvest of honey used to ferment this drink and the Hay Moon as the first cuttings of cattle fodder occur.  

Fingers-crossed for clear night skies and no skeeters.

What To See In The June Sky

Technically the full moon this month occurs tomorrow, Wednesday the 11th; although by all outward appearances it will look full this evening.  

If you have an opportunity you might be able to spot the bright red star Antares (constellation Scorpio) adjacent to our lunar friend.  If the brightness of the moon washes-out the star try to shift yourself so as to view it with the moon situated behind an object such as a utility pole.  Antares should reveal itself. 

The June moon - typically the last full moon of spring or the first of summer - is traditionally called the Strawberry Moon.  With origins traced to the Algonquin people this was a sign to commence gathering wild strawberries.   

Following European settlement alternate names included the Meade moon and the Honey moon were introduced.  

Because the Roman goddess of marriage is Juno – namesake of this frequent month of marriages - hence we have the honeymoon.

From June 5, 2020 at 11:30 PM there was this full Strawberry Moon.....

Astronomy For May

According to the Old Farmers Almanac we use full moon names that were adopted during Native American and Colonial times to help track the seasons.  This practice is traced to the Algonquin tribes who lived in the same areas as the Colonists.    

May’s full Moon is known as the Flower Moon.  It signifies the wildflowers that bloom in May.  This includes wild iris, sundrops, marsh marigold, violets and more that are found around here. 

The month of May also marked a period of increased fertility and the warming days that made it safer to bear young.  For that reason it is sometimes called the Mother’s Moon.  Other names include the Corn Planting Moon, Leaf Budding Moon, Frog Moon and Milk Moon. 

The moon will appear full tonight and tomorrow night.  Fingers-crossed for clear viewing conditions.

Our Marsh Marigolds - Silver Creek

Blood Moon

March’s full moon is frequently called the Full Worm Moon.  The backstory is because of the earthworms that wriggle out of the ground as the earth begins to thaw in March.  As a consequence some Native American Tribes referred to it as the Worm Moon and the return of robins to feast on the emerging worms.

The fact of the matter is that Northern tribes would not have embraced this name for the March moon as there were no earthworms. A Southern tribe maybe – but certainly not a Northern tribe.

Historically, earthworms did not exist in the northern reaches of continental North America. The ice sheets of the last glaciation wiped them out. All of the earthworms and night crawlers we see nowadays were introduced by European colonists – brought here in plant root balls and soil used as ship ballast. That’s right – earthworms are an invasive species.  But I digress.

Northern American tribes such as the Shawnee tribe know this as the Sap Moon - a reminder for the tribes that they can begin tapping maple trees for the making of syrup.

In general, March’s full moon is known as a herald for the beginning of spring and new agricultural cycles. The European settlers referred to this as the Lenten Moon and as a way to measure the progress of their crops. They called it the Storm Moon if the weather was inclement – an indicator their crops might fail. Under ideal growing conditions they called it the Rugged Moon – a sign of a successful harvest that year.

One of its other names is the Chaste Moon, symbolizing the purity of early spring. The Pueblo tribe named it the Moon When the Leaves Break Forth, The Cree called it the Goose Moon, while in Shoshone culture it was known as the Warming Moon. The Ojibwa called it the the Crows Come Back Moon, after the crows and other birds that appear as winter draws to a close.  It is also called the Crust Moon, because of the snow that becomes crusty when it thaws in the sun and freezes in the moonlight.

The moon will be at its fullest tomorrow evening although to the casual observer it will appear full this evening.

There's a bonus this year; a total lunar eclipse.  This full moon will pass directly through the Earth's umbral shadow producing a total lunar eclipse visible across the Americas and a partial eclipse in the Pacific, Western Europe and Africa.  At my latitude the action will unfold around 10:30 tonight with the first "bite" out of the moon beginning around midnight.  At maximum eclipse, 2 AM, it will appear reddened - a Blood Moon.

 

New Year Night Sky

The first full moon of 2025 rises tonight. 

According to Native American tradition January's full moon is also known as a Wolf Moon.  Legend suggests that wolves howled more at this time of year due to winter hunger. European settlers also knew this as the Old Moon or Moon After Yule

Wolves have made their presence known around here on very rare occasion and what I know for sure is that with all the dang deer on the landscape if any have found their way across the ice to the peninsula they will not be hungry.  I fully expect that any howling I hear this evening will be from the resident coyotes.  Like their larger wolf brethren any vocalizations will be social in nature - locating pack members, reinforcing their familial bonds, defining territory and such.  

 

NASA image

Prior to European settlement the Lakota people know this as the Hard Moon, the Cree called this the Cold Moon, the Ojibwe of the Great Lakes Region called this the Great Spirit Moon and the Assiniboine fittingly refer to this as the Center Moon - the demarcation of mid-winter.

Watch for the moon to rise from the east at sunset tonight and tomorrow. As a bonus, the bright red planet Mars will be shining just to the moon's lower left (or celestial east).  

It will reach its highest point around midnight. If you're up for any reason while the moon is high in the night sky be sure to observe that a winter full moon climbs as high in the heavens as the summer noonday sun.  On a clear winter night you can see your shadow by the light of the moon!

If you are an early riser you can locate the moon above the western horizon before sunrise. 

Fingers-crossed for cold, clear, winter night skies.

December Night Sky

 

DNR.WI.Gov

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, gave a luster of midday to objects below.  When what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer.

-- 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Clement Clarke Moore          

 

If you have clear skies this evening you won’t want to miss it - the last full moon of this year is tonight.  According to the Old Farmer's Almanac this is also known as a Cold Full Moon.  

 

The full moon you will observe in the heavens this evening is characterized by the arc of its trajectory across the sky which allows it to appear above the horizon for a longer period of time. 

Because of its close association with the winter solstice - and the shortest of daylight hours - native people called this the Long Nights Moon.   My ancient European pagan ancestors called this the Moon Before Yule in recognition of the Yuletide festivities celebrating the return of the sun heralded by the winter solstice. 

 

Since this moon is opposite the sun on this day of the lunar month, it will be fully illuminated and rises at sunset and sets at sunrise.  Full moons such as these during the winter months reach as high in the sky at midnight as a noon summer sun.  Trust me on this one and go outside to see your shadow cast by the moonlight.

What To See In The November Night Sky

November's full moon is called the Beaver Moon or Frost Moon.

Full moons often take their names from the traditions of native Americans and European Settlers.  November is that time of year that beavers retire to their lodges for the duration of winter.  As a consequence of their pelts being prime this was also the time of year that fur traders trapped beavers.

The Anishinaabe people of the Great Lakes Region called this Minidoons Giizis Oonhg - the Little Spirit Moon, a time of healing.  The Cree Nation of Central Canada calls it Kaskatinowipisim, the Rivers Freeze-up Moon. And the Iroquois-Mohawk Confederacy of Eastern North America call it Kentenhko:wa, the Time of Much Poverty Moon.

The Beaver Moon will reach peak illumination tomorrow afternoon as it rises after sunset.  Nevertheless, it will be sufficiently close to full just after sunset tonight. 

11.19.2021

 

 

This is not a sunrise.  It is a photo I took at sunrise of the Full Beaver Moon setting in the west. 2021.

This was a nice balance of low sunlight in the foreground from the rising sun behind me to the east and the moon dropping quickly below the western horizon.

Sometimes this stuff happens quickly.

You snooze, you lose...

September Astronomy

This year the September full moon is called the Harvest Moon. 

The Harvest moon can occur in either September or October because it coincides with an astronomical event – the autumnal equinox. The full Moon that occurs nearest to the equinox (September 22 or 23 depending-upon your time zone) takes on the name Harvest Moon rather than its traditional name – the Full Corn Moon or Barley Moon.  The name comes from this moon’s ability to shine light when it is needed the most – to bring in the harvest. 

The indigenous Anishinaabe people of the our Great Lakes region call this moon Waatebagaa-giizis or Waabaagbagaa-giizis, the Leaves Turning or Leaves Falling moon.

This full moon also happens to be the second of four super moons for 2024.  It will appear about 6% larger and 16% brighter than the average full moon.

In the Northern Hemisphere and in our time zone the Harvest Moon rises tonight.

You can learn more here.  

 And enjoy the music.....

August Night Sky

The Full Moon appearing this evening is named after North America's largest fish - the sturgeon. Other names for this Full Moon include Green Corn Moon, Grain Moon, Barley Moon and Fruit Moon.  There is a great deal to digest about the moon this month as this full moon is a whopper.

The Sturgeon Moon has its origins in the great number of sturgeon that were once found in the lakes and rivers in North America.  It’s likely that with the arrival of European settlement the name was borrowed from native-American usage.  I live close to Sturgeon Bay - named for the large number of sturgeon found here when settlers arrived.  Nowadays, over-fishing has just about eliminated this species from the Great Lakes.  Sigh.  The largest population of sturgeon in the world can be found in the Lake Winnebago waterway system not too far away.

August's full moon is special.  Not only does it coincide with the Perseid meteor shower it also happens to be a Super Moon, a Blue Moon and will pass very close to Saturn! 

A Super Moon results when a full moon reaches 90% of perigee - or closest approach to earth.  Consequently, it should appear 30% brighter and 14% larger than a moon at its farthest point (apogee).  This is the first of four Super Moons for 2024 - three more are scheduled for September 17, October 17 and November 15.

If the moon looks larger when it is nearer to the horizon that is known as moon illusion.  A trick of perception that has nothing to do with astronomy.  This illusion occurs because of how our brain interprets distance and size.  When the moon is just above the horizon we see it alongside trees, buildings and other objects, making it appear larger.  When the moon is high in the sky overhead there's nothing to compare it to, so it looks smaller.  This is all about how our brain works.

There are two types of Blue Moon and neither has anything to do with color.  Ordinarily a Blue Moon is a second full moon that appears in a calendar month. The 1937 edition of the now defunct Maine Farmers' Almanac (not to be confused with The Old Farmers Almanac) explained in their calendar that a Blue Moon occurs when one of the four seasons contains four full moons instead of the usual three.  The August 21, 1937 moon was the third of four full moons that summer when for no apparent reason it was reported as a Blue Moon..  Ever since, a seasonal blue moon refers to the third full moon in a season that has four full moons.

In many parts of the world the August Full Moon will occult the planet Saturn. While not the same as an eclipse, an occultation (word of the day) occurs when one celestial object passes in front of another temporarily obscuring the latter.  In our part of North America observers will see the moon make a pass very close to Saturn rather than an occultation around 10 PM on August 20.

Finally, the Democratic Party kicks-off their convention today - yes, coinciding with a full moon - so the party should be a doozy.

I told you this was going to be a whopper.

Fingers-crossed for good viewing conditions tonight and tomorrow.

July Night Skies

2023 Full Buck Moon

The names associated with our full moons are frequently derived from the names given by the indigenous peoples that inhabited North America.  The tribes used a calendar to track the seasons by means of the names given to the return of a full moon.    

In the northern hemisphere the full moon that greets us today is called the Buck Moon in recognition of the rapidly-growing, velvet-covered, antlers of the whitetail deer.  It will appear at its fullest tonight and tomorrow night.  Look for it to rise in the east after sunset; highest at midnight and setting in the west at dawn.

With the arrival of European settlers two additional monikers come to mind:  the Meade Moon which coincides the harvest of honey used to ferment this drink and the Hay Moon as the first cuttings of cattle fodder occur.  

Fingers-crossed for clear night skies and no skeeters.

What To See In The May Night Sky

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac - we use full moon names that were used during Native American and Colonial times to help track the seasons.  This practice is traced to the Algonquin tribes who lived in the same areas as the Colonists.    

May’s full Moon is known as the Flower Moon.  It signifies the wildflowers that bloom in May.  This includes wild iris, sundrops, marsh marigold, violets and more that are found around here. 

The month of May also marked a period of increased fertility and the warming days that made it safer to bear young.  For that reason it is sometimes called the Mother’s Moon.  Other names include the Corn Planting Moon, Leaf Budding Moon, Frog Moon and Milk Moon. 

Fingers-crossed for clear viewing conditions tomorrow tonight.

our marsh marigolds

April Night Sky

If you are reading this you have ample notice about this evening's full moon - called the Pink Moon. 

The term ‘Pink Moon’ actually does not imply that the moon is pink.  The term derives from the spring appearance of native ground phlox and their pink blooms that coincides with the April full moon.  The Full Pink Moon of April rises this evening and will be at peak illumination at 6:49 PM CST. 

The April full moon is also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.  The Algonquin people knew this as the Breaking Ice Moon while the Dakota identify this as the When The Ducks Come Back Moon.  These native tribal themes are certainly true around here.

More here from the Old Farmer's Almanac...

 

February Night Sky

Native Americans have long grown familiar with this moon.  Members of the Cherokee nation refer to this month’s full moon as the Bone Moon.  This was a consequence of depleted food stores and the necessity of cracking-open bones to access the marrow for survival food. 

NASA image

Those of the Kalapuya nation referred to this as the Out of Food Moon.   For others it was the Little Famine Moon or the Hunger Moon.  For the Cherokee the association with hunger and starvation also included a brush with death.  And the people use this as an opportunity to communicate with dead ancestors during the Bone Moon.   

Indeed, these ancient native tribes named this moon after the way trees cracked in the cold, or how people had to huddle around a fire for warmth.  My own people – the ancient Celts – remember this as the Moon of Ice as it is associated with the coldest month of the year. 

On a more upbeat note it is the Hopi tribe of the southwest who call this the Moon of Purification and renewal. 

This close association with the renewal that is marked by the arrival of spring is much more appealing to me than bones and death.  We have modern refrigeration, canning, grocers, central heat, wood stoves, Merlot and internet television.  Starvation is rare and the entertainment possibilities are endless. Nevertheless, turning your eyes to the heavens is a delight all its own.   

February's full Moon  - called the Full Snow Moon - reaches peak fullness at this evening February 24.  For the best view of this Moon be sure to watch for it tonight.  It will rise from the east and reach its highest point in the sky around midnight.   

Fingers crossed for cold, clear winter sky gazing.

January Night Sky

 With the arrival of January 25th comes the first full moon of 2024. 

01.09.20 photo

According to Native American tradition January's full moon is named after howling wolves and is remembered as the Wolf Moon. 

It is said that at any given time there are estimated to be a dozen wolves wandering-about here on the peninsula.  I haven’t heard any wolves howling - just the resident coyotes - likely explained by the fact that the only wolves here are  solitary males.  They've been  known to find their way here having dispersed from other packs in northeastern Wisconsin or Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  I am also told it is unlikely there is a breeding population around here.  But I digress.

In other cultures this is called the Old Moon, Snow Moon, Ice Moon or Moon after Yule.  My Celtic ancestors called this the Stay At Home Moon. 

And so it begins - if you like clear skies and howling at the moon - 2024 is going to deliver 12 full moons.  The September and October lunar events are super moons and for good measure - a blue moon in August.  You may wish to bookmark this link so you don’t miss anything.   

Fingers-crossed for cold, clear winter sky-gazing tonight. 

Cheers!

December Night Sky

  The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave a lustre of midday to objects below, When what to my wondering eyes did appear, But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.    

 -'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Clement Clarke Moore      

 

December's full moon, illuminating the skies on December 26, 2023, holds special significance as it aligns with Christmas Day.  This celestial event is the first full moon following the winter solstice, enhancing its allure during this special and festive season.

12-11-19 Full Cold Moon

The full moon you will observe in the heavens this evening is called the Full Cold Moon.  It is characterized by the arc of its trajectory across the sky which allows it to appear above the horizon for a longer period of time. 

Because of its close association with the winter solstice - and the shortest of daylight hours - native people called this the Long Nights Moon.   My ancient European pagan ancestors called this the Moon Before Yule in recognition of the Yuletide festivities celebrating the return of the sun heralded by the winter solstice. 

 

To the casual observer the moon will appear full both tonight and Wednesday evening as well. 

Fingers crossed for clear, cold viewing tonight.

November Night Sky

November's full moon is called the Beaver Moon.

Full moons often take their names from the traditions of native Americans and European Settlers.  November is that time of year that beavers retire to their lodges for the duration of winter.  As a consequence of their pelts being prime this was also the time of year that fur traders trapped beavers.

The Lakota people recognized this as the Deer Rutting Moon, Cree and Assiniboine called this the Frost Moon and with the spawning of this fish species in November the Algonquin called this the Whitefish Moon.

The Beaver Moon will reach peak illumination in the early morning hours of Monday.  Nevertheless, it will be sufficiently close to full just after sunset tonight. 

11.19.2021

 

This is not a sunrise.  It is a photo I took at sunrise of the Full Beaver Moon setting in the west. 2021.

This was a nice balance of low sunlight in the foreground from the rising sun behind me to the east and the moon dropping quickly below the western horizon.

Sometimes this stuff happens quickly.

You snooze, you lose...

Wassup In The October Night Sky

In our part of the northern hemisphere the full moon appearance following the Harvest Moon is  generally known as the Hunter’s Moon.  Its appearance is typically in October - although it can also reveal itself in early November.  

2019 Hunters 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.  

Fingers-crossed for cold, clear, viewing conditions.....

 

June Night Sky

Tonight and tomorrow the June moon will appear full.  

The June moon - typically the last full moon of spring or the first of summer - is traditionally called the Strawberry Moon.  With origins traced to the Algonquin people this was a sign to commence gathering wild strawberries.   

Following European settlement alternate names included the Meade moon and the Honey moon were introduced.  

Because the Roman goddess of marriage is Juno – namesake of this frequent month of marriages - we have the honeymoon.

From June 5, 2020 at 11:30 PM there was this full Strawberry Moon.....