A full Hunter’s Moon will come into visibility on Saturday, October 28th. Since it will be below the horizon, The Old Farmer’s Almanac advises to wait until sunset to take a look. It will reach peak illumination on Saturday afternoon at 4:24pm.
The full Hunter’s Moon is expected to light the sky with an orange hue—perfect for the fall. Additionally, the Moon Illusion may cause the full Hunter’s moon to appear bigger than it actually is. That’s because the moon will be low enough to compare it to Earthly reference points such as trees or buildings, tricking onlookers into thinking the moon is larger than normal.
The name of the full Hunter’s Moon dates back to a variety of Native American, Colonial American, and European sources, explains The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Unsurprisingly, the name hails from the moon signaling to hunter’s it was time to prepare for winter.
However, the Hunter’s Moon, just like the Harvest Moon (September’s full moon), is tied to the autumn equinox. Alternative names for the October moon include the Drying Rice Moon, the Falling Leaves Moon, the Freezing Moon and the Migrating Moon.
And if you happen to miss the full moon on Saturday, don’t fret. The moon will appear full for a few days after
The next full moon won’t be until November 3, 2023, that is better known as the full Beaver Moon.
So get ready for a dazzling lunar experience you won’t want to miss!