September - The Harvest Moon

The "Harvest Moon" is one of the best known names for a full moon. However, don't assume that September's full moon is the actual Harvest Moon: it's a bit more complicated than that.

It's not always in September, as the Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox (around September 22), which can sometimes fall in early October instead. So, around every three years, September's Moon is simply the "Corn Moon", another harvest-inspired name.

At around the time of the Equinox, it seems as if there are several full moons in a row. Of course, this isn't possible, but at this time of year, the time difference between each evening's moonrise is shorter, making it seem like there's more moonlight. Pre-electricity, this extra light was a great opportunity to put in some overtime on the harvest.

If the Harvest Moon falls in October, you can call the September Moon the Corn Moon or the "Barley Moon" (US and European names). The Algonquin name is "Middle between harvest and eating corn", which is brilliantly specific, while the Cherokee celebrated nuts in September rather than May.

This month's moon has another fantastic name in Britain: the "Wine Moon". Is this why it's also sometimes known as the "Song Moon"?