“Whenever I gaze up at the moon, I feel like I’m on a time machine. I am back to that precious pinpoint of time, standing on the foreboding – yet beautiful – Sea of Tranquility. I could see our shining blue planet Earth poised in the darkness of space.”
~ Buzz Aldrin, U.S. astronaut

Looking at the Earth from 238,900 miles away on the moon’s surface – what a breathtaking and never to be forgotten moment! To think, I was in awe last week just watching the full moon rise over the foothills. Although spectacular in perceived size and brightness, it’s not exactly comparable to the view Buzz Aldrin had.

A week ago the weather welcomed the annual Harvest Moon. The sky was cloudless without even a wisp of fog to shroud the site. Sunset was a short 20 minutes prior to moonrise. Harvest Moon is the name given to the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, which falls on Sept. 22 or 23. So what’s the big deal here?

This particular Harvest Moon was visible almost two weeks after the autumn equinox. Usually the Harvest Moon appears during the last days of summer, up to a week before the equinox. In addition, this year it arrived in October rather than September. That’s kind of a big deal, isn’t it? For those of you who were ready to howl, it was a long three weeks! The next October Harvest Moon is in 2020, so mark your calendars!

How the moon got its name is pretty self-explanatory. Every year, at the end of growing season, there is a brief and crucial period – harvest time. Both cultivated crops and wild growing plants have reached full ripeness. Man and beast alike scurry to reap their bounty. With darkness between sunset and moonrise, farmers took full advantage of the bright and extended moonlight. It lit fields where families worked late into the evening, often continuing past midnight gathering crops in preparation for the upcoming winter. Shine on Harvest Moon!

Winds are blowing in over the weekend. These are blowing from the north (northerly winds). Also, a weak Santa Ana (northeasterly winds) condition is expected to join in. Temperatures will remain warm and an elevation to critical fire weather is likely. By Tuesday, ocean breezes drop temperatures by a significant 10 to 15 degrees. “Blue skies … nothing but blue skies do I see.” – Irving Berlin, 1928

Sue Kilpatrick is a
Crescenta Valley resident and
Official Skywarn Spotter for the
National Weather Service. Reach her at suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick