Last Year’s Harvest Moon – Harvest Moonrise from Shawangunk, Taken by James Perez-Rogers on October 6, 2025 @ Gardiner, NY
A Special Harvest Moon
SPACEWEATHER.COM NEWS: 09/26/2026
THE BEST HARVEST MOON IN FIVE YEARS: There’s something special about this weekend’s full Moon. It’s a Harvest Moon–closer to the autumnal equinox than any other full Moon of the past 5 years.
The equinox gives the Harvest Moon a special power: It rises near sunset for several nights in a row. Most full Moons don’t do this. Before electric lights, farmers relied on this phenomenon. The bright Moon rising at dusk on consecutive nights gave them extra hours to bring in the autumn crops. Indeed, that’s how the Harvest Moon got its name.
Harvest Moons have special colors, too. Rising at dusk, they are bathed in twilight hues while the lunar disk is often amber and swollen by the Moon Illusion. (The Moon illusion is the optical illusion of the Moon appearing larger near the horizon than it does higher up in the sky. It has been known since ancient times and recorded by various cultures.)
This year’s Harvest Moon on Sept. 26th is extra Harvest-y. It’s closer to the equinox than usual: only 3.7 days later. The Harvest Moon can land as far as 15 days from the equinox. In the last decade, only 2018 (2.0 days) and 2021 (1.8 days) came closer than 2026.
Go outside at sunset, face east, and enjoy the Harvest Moonlight.
FAST SOLAR WIND BLOWING AROUND EARTH: Earth is moving deeper into a stream of solar wind blowing faster than 500 km/s (1.1 million mph) . This sets the stage for a weekend of possible G1-class geomagnetic storms and equinox auroras amplified by the Russell-McPherron Effect.
MoonGiant.com offers traditional celebrations around the world. Below are International Dates and Times of the Peak Position of the Moon. Visit Time and Date for Sunset/Sunrise Times in your location.
Old Farmer’s Almanac – Full Harvest Moon
What Is the Harvest Moon?
For several evenings, the Moon rises very soon after the Sun sets, resulting in an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening. Traditionally, this extra light aided farmers and crews in harvesting their summer-grown crops. Hence, it’s called the “Harvest” Moon!
On average, there are just a little over 12 complete Moon cycles every year (about 29.53 days in a synodic month). The Harvest Moon isn’t like the other Moons.
Usually, throughout the year, the Moon rises an average of about 50 minutes later each day.
However, for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the northern U.S. and only 10 to 20 minutes later farther north in Canada and Europe.
Additionally, the Harvest Moon rises at sunset and will rise about 30 minutes later for several nights. It may almost seem like there are Full Moons multiple nights in a row!
This year, the Harvest Moon rises on September 26. And with impeccable timing, it catches up with Saturn, with the pair rising together.
There is no need for any equipment to see Saturn, and, with the Harvest Moon acting as a beacon in the sky, it will be simple to spot as a bright point in the sky next to it. Simply check your weather and the time of sunset and moonrise in your location.
Depending on where you’re viewing from, the view will be slightly different. The apparent distance between the Moon and Saturn continuously changes as the Moon travels along its orbit around Earth, and people at different longitudes will see the pair rise at different moments in time.
Your view also depends on whether you are in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. The orientation of the Moon and Saturn varies according to your latitude.
Mayan Calendar Time and Synchronicity
The Full Harvest Moon close to the Equinox magnifies the Signs of Change at a New Season. Our emotions rise with the Tides of the Full Moon. The Full Moon also marks the turning of the tides.
September 26, 2026 is 13 Deer/MANIK, an Ascension that marks our Highest Mission and Purpose to be of Service to One Another as the Hand of God. Tomorrow begins the final trecena of the Tzolk’in round that leads to our Highest Ascension and the end of the Tzolk’in round, 13 Sun/AHAU.
This is the Haab Year 2 Deer/MANIK, magnifying our highest meaning and purpose. One Truth we can see through the storms all around is people caring for one another.
Give thanks under the Full Moon for the One who rules over Heaven and Earth, and for the Savior that guides us by the Truth and the Way.
THE TRECENA OF EAGLE/MEN: ASCENDING TO A HIGHER PERSPECTIVE
Visit the 13-Day Trecena Guide Page for the “Tzolk’in Field Guide: A Daily Practice for Personal Discernment.” My gift for the Tzolk’in round offers an overview for each 13-day trecena and the aspects of each day of the Tzolk’in round. The page also offers a link to resources for your own practice of counting the days to conceive your own discernment of the Meaning of Time.
1 EAGLE/MEN IN THE 4TH SEASON: 1 Wisdom/CIB begins the 4th Season of the Tzolk’in – VOLUME 2: Tzolk’in Seasons 3 and 4 (PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 20, 2020)
The 1st Tone of every trecena marks the Divine Inspiration from the beginning that is carried to the end on the 13th Tone of Ascension.
13 Deer/MANIK (Cherokee, Deer/Ahwu’sdi) – Ascension of the 1 Eagle/MEN trecena
Descriptions by Ian Xel Lungold (12 Sun/AHAU), wisdom and Tzolk’in calculator preserved on MayanMajix.com
Galactic Tone 13: Ascension; Thirteen assists us to go to the next higher step, propels us to try something new or to try again. Thirteen energy takes us over the next mountain just to see what is there. Thirteen carries the last success to the newest effort. Thirteen is a number associated with the Ascended Masters, creation, expansion, and manifestation.
Deer/MANIK (Hand): Deer are spirit tools. Silence itself is a spiritual experience for Deer. For Deer life is a pilgrimage. Deer are dominant persons who defend the people and will make sacrifices for others. The spirit of Deer upholds the pillars of the four directions. With the power inherent in the number four, Deer pushes away bad influences or negative energies. Skill and quality of work are very important to Deer. They are presented with tools for every task in life and it is with these that they are able to rise above limitations. Deer has a habit of keeping every tool it has ever used. This leads to clutter and indecision, loss and procrastination. When confronted with promises not kept, Deer becomes stubborn, manipulative and evasive.
A GOOD DAY TO: Be of service to others.
Cherokee, Deer/Ahwu’sdi: Symbolized by Constellation Galagina, the Stag, known as Taurus, the Bull. It does not include the Pleiades and Hyades clusters which in Cherokee are viewed as separate. To feed, gatherers of food and supplies, they enjoy rituals, ceremonials, feasts, the souls of hospitality, sociability. Freedom versus security issues often inspire leadership and unique solutions. Combined with artistic and inspiring energies in harmony with lunar cycles, they nourish the clans.
[Text in italics was the primary source of inspiration for my journal. These are the sources that started my journey and they are the reference for interpretation each day. By providing the original text, I hope to offer a way to see what inspired my thoughts and by including all the aspects – allow for something more to inspire you. Mayan descriptions are those written by Ian Lungold. Cherokee descriptions came from multiple sources. Links to sources and other resources of study are offered on the Daykeeper Resources Page. ~Debra]
