• Mark Lovewell

In Vineyard Skies: Full Moon

On Wednesday night, the full moon appears in the zodiacal constellation Aquarius, a constellation we associate with autumn. Were we able to look deep into space, we’d also find the moon in proximity to the distant planet Neptune.

There is not universal agreement on the internet about what full moon we will have. The highest authority on New England astronomical folklore, the Old Farmer’s Almanac, reports that the Harvest Moon doesn’t arrive until Oct. 5. They report that the Harvest Moon is the closest full moon to the first day of autumn. Therefore, next week’s moon is the Full Corn Moon, or the Barley Moon.

Still we found a number of websites citing that next Wednesday’s full moon is the Harvest Moon. The websites include space.com and timeanddate.com.

Whichever title you want to call it, the brilliant moon will dominate the evening sky for the week ahead.

Say goodbye to parting Jupiter, one of the brightest planets in our night sky. Jupiter is now low in the southwestern sky after sunset. The planet resides in the spring constellation Virgo. It is near the bright star Spica. Jupiter will slip below the horizon in the weeks ahead, to disappear in late October. From then on Jupiter will pop up in the morning sky and be readily visible before Thanksgiving.
 

 

Sunrise and Sunset
Day Sunrise Sunset
Fri., Sept. 1 6:07 7:15
Sat., Sept. 2 6:08 7:13
Sun., Sept. 3 6:09 7:12
Mon., Sept. 4 6:10 7:10
Tues., Sept. 5 6:11 7:08
Wed., Sept. 6 6:12 7:07
Thurs., Sept. 7 6:13 7:05
Fri., Sept. 8 6:14 7:03
Temperatures and Precipitations
Day Max (Fº) Min (Fº) Inches
August 25 80 60 0.00
August 26 75 54 0.00
August 27 75 52 0.00
August 28 76 61 0.00
August 29 74 62 0.00
August 30 68 58 1.40
August 31 70 53 0.01
       

 

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 71º F

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