Hunter's Moon, Saturn and shooting stars share the sky this weekend
October's full moon will rise Sunday evening, with Saturn shining nearby and a few lingering meteors from the Orionid meteor shower potentially adding to the celestial show.
A large Harvest Moon was spotted rising low above the horizon over a busy highway in Lake City, Florida, on Sept. 26.
The weekend will end with the last big astronomical event of October as the Hunter's Moon shines next to Saturn and potentially a few shooting stars.
The full moon will rise around sunset on Sunday, Oct. 25, reaching its full phase at 12:11 a.m. EDT Monday, Oct. 26.
Saturn will also be visible to the right of the moon throughout the night. The planet will resemble a bright star to the naked eye, but stargazers with a telescope can get a closer look at its famous rings.
A few shooting stars may also streak across the sky following the peak of the Orionid meteor shower earlier in the week. However, the bright moonlight will make it difficult to spot some of the fainter meteors.
A full Hunter's Moon rises beyond downtown buildings, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
October's full moon is most commonly called the Hunter's Moon, a name tied to the time of year when people traditionally hunted and prepared food for the approaching winter.
"Fields are typically cleared, leaves have fallen, and animals are easier to spot in open landscapes," The Old Farmer's Almanac explained. "At the same time, game such as deer and other wildlife have fattened up over the summer and early fall, making this an ideal time for hunting."
Other nicknames for October's full moon include the Migrating Moon, the Freezing Moon, the Drying Rice Moon and the Falling Leaves Moon.
The next full moon, known as the Beaver Moon, will rise on Nov. 24, marking the final full moon of fall.
Report a Typo
