Full Harvest Moon to Shine Beside Saturn This Weekend

This weekend, sky watchers will have a chance to see the full Harvest Moon shining close to golden Saturn in the night sky. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that falls nearest to the start of autumn, and it has a trick that no other full moon can quite match.

Along with the moon and Saturn, the planet Neptune will also appear near them this weekend. This makes it a good time for people who enjoy watching the sky, since three bright objects will be close together.

You can see the Harvest Moon and Saturn easily without any special equipment. However, spotting Neptune is much harder because it is very far from Earth. A telescope will help you find it clearly.

To get the best view, experts suggest looking up after it gets dark. Choosing a spot away from bright city lights will make the moon, Saturn, and Neptune easier to see, since there will be less light pollution.

The Harvest Moon gets its name because farmers once used its bright light to work in their fields later into the evening during harvest time. Its special trick is linked to the way it rises around the same time for several nights in a row, giving extra light just when it was needed most.

Sky watchers who miss this weekend's view can still try to spot the moon, Saturn, and Neptune on nearby nights, though they may not appear quite as close together as they will this weekend.