The last supermoon of the year is here

2023 Harvest Moon

At 5:57 a.m. Friday, Indiana experienced its last full moon of the year. Unfortunately, much of the morning hours were haunted by thick fog. This led to very poor viewing conditions for the full moon Friday morning. Thankfully, we’re looking at this evening looking full to the naked eye, even if it technically isn’t 100% full. This should allow many to still get a glimpse of the last supermoon of the year.

A supermoon occurs when the full moon coincides with its closest approach to Earth in its orbit, making it appear larger and brighter than usual. This phenomenon captivates viewers around the world, illuminating the surroundings with its radiant glow. This is the last of four supermoons that made their way into the night skies this year. The other three were in in July and August of this year.

This specific full moon is known as the harvest moon. The harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, signaling the arrival of the harvest season. Its unique characteristic is the prolonged period of bright moonlight, allowing farmers to work late into the evening, gathering their crops by its luminous glow. Embrace the enchantment of this celestial spectacle, celebrating nature’s bountiful yield under the harvest moon’s radiant beams.

Evening Conditions

On Friday evening, we are expecting to see a very similar night to Thursday. We’re going to be clear to start off the evening with clear skies when the moon rises out of the northwest at 7:50 pm. However, with clear and cooler conditions moving in overnight, we’re expecting things to get foggy eventually. Make sure to get your viewing in early this evening.

The good news is even if you forget to take a look at the supermoon around sundown tonight, you can still catch it full Saturday night as well.