Arab Weather - This evening, Tuesday, will witness the appearance of the second giant full moon of this year, which is the Rabi' al-Awwal moon, which will light up the skies of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab world throughout the night. This moon is known as the "Harvest Moon" due to its proximity to the autumnal equinox.
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In a special astronomical event... the giant Harvest Moon lights up the sky today
According to the head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, Eng. Majed Abu Zahra, the name “Harvest Moon” is given to the full moons that occur in the months of September and October, where the moonrise coincides with the sunset for several consecutive nights and the moon will reach the moment of completion at 05:34 am on Wednesday, Saudi time, forming a 180-degree angle with the sun.
The moon will appear red or orange at sunrise before returning to its normal size in the sky, an optical illusion. This scene will be accompanied by a conjunction with the planet Saturn, which will appear as a golden dot to the naked eye, with its rings being faintly visible through a telescope.
#Jeddah_Astronomy : Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, the second #super_moon of 2024 will be observed, and it will decorate the sky throughout the night in conjunction with the planet Saturn, and it is the closest to the autumnal equinox and is therefore called the Harvest Moon. pic.twitter.com/GTh1wrKseu
— Twasul Newspaper (@twasulnews) September 16, 2024
The super harvest moon was important to farmers in ancient times, providing them with extra light to work in the fields after sunset. This bright space helped them harvest their crops without the need for artificial lighting, which is why it is called the super harvest moon.
Abu Zahra pointed out that the giant harvest moon will reach its peak at midnight, tilted towards the south, and will set in the western horizon coinciding with a partial eclipse during sunrise on Wednesday.
This is an ideal time to view the Moon's craters with binoculars or a small telescope, as other terrain appears flat due to the full illumination of the Sun. Over the coming nights, the Moon will rise later each day, becoming visible in the dawn sky after entering its last quarter phase.
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In a special astronomical event... the giant Harvest Moon lights up the sky today
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