Here’s how you can get a great view of the harvest moon Sept. 9

One of the most memorable of the full moons of 2022 is the upcoming harvest moon!

This is the full moon which occurs closest to the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22.

Of all the many wonders of our nearest neighbor in space, the harvest moon rises at or near the time of sunset and is in the sky during the period we call twilight.

More specifically, look for the rising harvest moon Sept. 9 at 6:45 p.m. Arizona time just a few degrees to the right of due east.

The sun will set on that date at 6:42 p.m. in the west-northwest.

Thus, the moon will appear in a bright twilight sky as it has for many thousands of years to help farmers gather crops in the days when we were a more agricultural society.

Here is the history of the harvest moon.

This column is here to help you get the most out of observing the moon during this amazing time.

The “face” of the moon is most amazing and there are many stories about the dark and light regions, which look like the face of a person or an animal.

These “seas” on the face of the moon are remnants of ancient lava beds, when the moon was active volcanically.

In ancient times, there were even thoughts of living creatures which roamed the surface of the moon.

While you explore the harvest moon through a pair of binoculars, we offer up a more detailed video of the location of the Apollo landing sites.

Many of you have also asked me about the best tips for taking pictures of the moon, especially during the classic harvest moon.

Here are some helpful tips.

Did you know that the current Artemis I moon mission will hopefully send humans to the surface of the moon as early as 2025?

In order to do that, we need to fully test the Artemis hardware and software.

Here is more on the Artemis mission and how we plan on going back to the moon.

So, enjoy the most famous and romantic moon of the entire year!

By the way, the next total lunar eclipse is set for Nov. 8 and should be another great example of the sacred geometry of our universe.

To print your own monthly star chart, click here.

To view satellites/dates/times of passage, click here.

Listen to the Dr. Sky Show on KTAR News 92.3 FM every Saturday at 3 a.m.

Podcasts are available here.