When is the full moon in September? Harvest supermoon will shine for days

This year's harvest moon will be a supermoon that will shine for three full days.

The harvest moon is different from all other full moons in that it isn't tied to a particular month, but rather to the timing of the autumnal equinox, which can happen either in September or October. This year it will be on Sept. 22.

Here are some quick facts about what makes this September's full moon so special.

When is the full moon in September?

The harvest moon will be visible on the evening of Monday, Sept. 16 and then it will shine at peak illumination by 10:34 p.m. Easter Daylight Time on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

• 🌑 New moon : Sept. 3
• 🌓 First quarter : Sept. 11
• 🌕 Full moon : Sept. 18
• 🌗 Last quarter : Sept. 26

Why is it called the harvest moon?

The harvest moon came to be called that because of the abundance of bright moonlight in the early evening hours when farmers harvested their crops. They worked well into the night as autumn began, before electricity.

Unlike other full moons, the harvest moon rises at nearly the same time for the few nights surrounding it, just 25 to 30 minutes later each day, versus the average 50 minutes later each day throughout the year. It will also rise very near sunset for those few nights, appearing like a full moon for three days in a row.

This year's harvest moon will also be a supermoon.

What is a supermoon?

A supermoon happens when a full moon's orbit is closest to the Earth at the same time the moon is full. According to NASA , at approximately 226,000 miles from Earth, the full moon appears brighter and larger than a regular full moon, hence the term, supermoon.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon, the hunter's moon will occur on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7:26 a.m.

This article originally appeared on USATNetwork: When is the full moon in September? Harvest supermoon will shine for days