The weekend before Halloween is here and just got a whole lot spookier. Saturday, October 28th, 2023 don’t forget to look up at the sky and catch a glimpse of the full moon. Like the super moons that have graced the skies throughout the year thus far, tonight’s Hunter’s Moon is also rare.
Hunter’s Moon
Tonight’s Hunter’s Moon marks the moon’s position in its orbit around Earth when it is directly opposite the sun. As a result, the moon will appear fully illuminated. From our view on Earth, it will be bright and dazzling.
The name for October’s moon can be traced back to the early 1700s. Indeed, the name is easy to understand. According to Farmer’s Almanac, October’s full moon gets its name because game animals, particularly deer, turkey, and pheasants, are traditionally hunted in mid- to late autumn when the animals are fattened on late summer bounty.
Although the Hunter’s Moon is the most common name for the October full moon in the Northern Hemisphere, according to Space.com, there are alternative names connected to hunting such as the Pagan and English Medieval names, the “Sanguine Moon,” or the “Blood Moon.”
Partial Lunar Eclipse
Tonight’s sky will be particularly special. Not only will there be the occurrence of the Hunter’s Moon, but also it will be subject to a partial lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse is an imperfect alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon that results in the Moon passing through only part of Earth’s umbral shadow, NASA says.
Interestingly, the moon will appear as if a bite has been taken out of it.
But only those in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, will be able to see the partial lunar eclipse on Oct. 28. You can however live stream it here..
How To See The Moon
According to Time and Date, the moon will rise over Philly tonight at 5:57pm proving the perfect night sky for spooky season.