“The action begins at sunset on Sept 22nd, the last day of northern summer. As the sun sinks in the west, bringing the season to a close, the full Harvest Moon will rise in the east, heralding the start of fall. The two sources of light will mix together to create a kind of 360-degree, summer-autumn twilight glow that is only seen on rare occasions.”
Author: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA
A week ago, on September 22, we dropped off a car at the mechanics and took a walk on the beach…A beautiful night, there were plenty of walkers, joggers, dogs, surfers and swimmers. There won’t be too many more nights like this before winter. What I hadn’t expected, what I had failed to read about in the paper or hear on the radio, was that there would be a special Super Harvest Moon this night…a full moon coinciding with the autumnal equinox. What a marvelous surprise…What a marvel. It took my breath away to suddenly see this pale moon rise out of the ocean. Everyone on the beach seemed to have stopped to witness it…We wondered where the ocean liner was headed and whether the passengers on board were watching the moon too.
Sonnet of the Moon
by Charles Best, 1608
Look how the pale Queen of the silent night
doth cause the ocean to attend upon her,
and he, as long as she is in sight,
with his full tide is ready here to honor;
But when the silver waggon of the Moon
is mounted up so high he cannot follow,
the sea calls home his crystal waves to morn,
and with low ebb doth manifest his sorrow.
So you that are sovereign of my heart
have all my joys attending on your will,
when you return, their tide my heart doth fill.
So as you come and as you depart,
joys ebb and flow within my tender heart.
