The Harvest Moon goes by many other names. (Credit:Wikipedia). There are several lists of these to be found across the WWW. The Old Farmers Almanac has one such list based upon the Algonquin names. A full Moon name used by one tribe might differ from one used by another tribe for the same time period, or be the same name but represent a different time period. The name itself was often a description relating to a particular activity/event that usually occurred during that time in their location.
Month ALGONQUIN OJIBWA
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1. January WOLF MOON GREAT SPIRIT MOON
2. February SNOW MOON SUCKER SPAWNING MOON
3. March SAP MOON MOON OF THE CRUST ON THE SNOW
4. April SEED MOON SAP RUNNING MOON
5. May FLOWER MOON BUDDING MOON
6. June STRAWBERRY MOON STRAWBERRY MOON
7. July BUCK MOON MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER MOON
8. August STURGEON MOON RICE-MAKING MOON
9. September CORN MOON LEAVES TURNING MOON
10. October RAVEN MOON FALLING LEAVES MOON
11. November HUNTER MOON ICE FLOWING MOON
12. December COLD MOON LITTLE SPIRIT MOON
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Colonial Americans adopted some of the Native American full Moon names and applied them to their own calendar system (primarily Julian, and later, Gregorian). For example, the Harvest Moon is associated by the colonists with the full moon nearest the Autumnal Equinox on September 21.
It is also worth pointing out that New Moons also have their own names, though limited in number and refer to the second new moon in a given month. These are called the Secret Moon, Finder’s Moon, Spinner Moon and Black Moon.
Contrary to Creedence Clearwater Revival, there is no such thing as a ‘Bad Moon’.
Here are the dates and times for the next series of named moons for 2017:
Month ALGONQUIN -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. January WOLF MOON January 12, 6:34 am EDT 2. February SNOW MOON February 10, 7:33 pm EDT 3. March SAP MOON March 12, 10:54 am EDT 4. April SEED MOON April 11, 2:08 am EDT 5. May FLOWER MOON May 10, 5:42 pm EST 6. June STRAWBERRY MOON June 9, 9:10 am EST 7. July BUCK MOON July 9, 12:07 am EST 8. August STURGEON MOON August 7, 2:11 pm EST 9. September CORN MOON September 6, 3:03 am EST 10. October RAVEN MOON October 5, 2:40 pm EDT 11. November HUNTER MOON November 4, 1:23 am EDT 12. December COLD MOON December 3, 10:47 am eDT --------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is also the famous Blue Moon, which is the second full moon in a given month. The last Blue Moon occurred on May 21, 2016, and the next one will be on January 31, 2018. In four or five years per century, there are two Blue Moons. The first Blue Moon always occurs in January. The second occurs predominantly in March. In the 10,000 years starting with 1600, this is true in 343 out of 400 cases, or 86 per cent of the time. In 37 cases (or 9 per cent), the second Blue Moon is in April. In the remaining 20 cases (5 per cent) it is in May.
In January 1999 we had a Blue Moon in January and one in March. The next event will happen in 2018 also in January and March. Then you will have to wait until 2037 for the Blue Moons in January and March.
Because the events of Halloween Eve are heightened by having a Full Moon in the sky, this Raven Moon on October 31 will next occur in the year 2020.