I don't know if you've looked out the window tonight... or even if you're in the right part of the country tonight... but our dear Mother Nature is putting on one of her most perfect Displays of Beauty one could ever want to see in the night-time sky. It is one of the most beautiful Golden Harvest Moons in many years.
Today is the officially when the Last Day of Summer meets the First Day of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Those star-gazers call today the Autumnal Equinox. Mother Nature is Showing Off. And who could blame Her !
The Autumnal Equinox occurs when the Earth's axis is leaning neither away from the Sun, nor towards the Sun. The term "equinox" comes from the Latin. The first part of the word... "equi"... from the Latin aequus... obviously means equal... and the second part of the word... "nox" means night.
Both the Autumnal Equinox... which signals the beginning of Autumn... and the Vernal Equinox... which denotes the beginning of Spring... bring along with it the two days of the year (or close to it)... one for Autumn, one for Spring... when the amount of daylight and night... are equal.
What a beautiful sight it is when Mother Nature works Her wonders. And what an artist She is !
I'm going to a drumming gathering tonight out in the country california mountains.
Connie: This should be an absolutely great night for something like that. How many will be there ?
Yes, it is beautfiul. Amazing what a difference in color when the moon is lower.
Simply beautiful! And were you up early or up late Karen? :)
Beautiful photograph. Thanks for sharing. This is a good season for taking pictures and making plans to better our lives.
WOW - I didn't see anything like that in my part of the world. That is a spectacular shot and I'm so glad you shared it. Thanks!
It seems like summer flew by this year ...!
I just love it when Mother Nature gets out her paint brush and showers us with all this beauty and color...........excellent Karen Anne.
Wow!
What a beautiful picture...It is amazing how good I feel about mother nature...
Simply beautiful!! Did you take the picture?
Gorgeous! What else can I say? Thank you for taking that picture and sharing it :)!
I wish that I were in your area last night. How gorgeous was that moon?
Beautiful picture, KLaren. I saw the moon two nights ago, but too late for the harvest effect. Last night was cloudy. Perhaps tonight.
Ms Karen- I just missed the harvest moon last night. Someone called me to look at it but missed the call. Thanks for the pic!
Karen Anne: Only thing missing in this picture? The outline of a coyote. I can sure hear it howling though. Stunning ... absolutely stunning picture and colors.
Gene
Hi Karen Anne. According to NASA, last night’s event is called a “Super Harvest Moon.” This is the first time it’s happened in almost 20 years. NASA points out that, “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.” Apparently, the last time this event occurred was back in 1991.
...And it was a beautiful sight to see here in southern California.
Oh My Goodness, what a beautiful picture, I am going to send it to my husband he will love it, he is huge into astronomy. Thanks for sharing it,
Debbie: It is a major difference in color when the moon is lower. Just beautiful.
Jackie: Was I up early or late ? Yes. I will not, however, take ANY credit for taking the picture. It is a NASA photo. And it is just "striking."
Roy: You are very welcome. Every season is a good season for both taking pictures, and making plans. As for the pictures... only the subjects change.
Susan: Perhaps it is because you are so much further up north. From the cactus... it appears that the picture was taken... perhaps in Arizona. By the way, as I said above... I will not try and take credit for the photo. It is from NASA.
Stewart: Yes... summer HAS flown by this year. Fall... well, I am ready for Fall. A simply wonderful time of year.
Roger: Mom Nature is so great at working with Her magical paint brush. Her palette of colors is endless. Again... picture from NASA... delivered on AR by me. A "shower" of beauty and color. I like the way you phrased that.
Joshua: Beautiful indeed ! Mother Nature has such a wonderful way of taking us in Her caring arms, doesn't she ?
Rita: Yes, it is gorgeous. No, I wish I was IN a position to take this incredible photo. The folks a NASA provided it.
Brenda: Not to worry... I was "almost" speechless when I saw it, as well. And, you are most welcome... as far as the sharing part. NASA did the picture-taking.
Lindsey: It was totally gorgeous. Not sure you would have had the same opportunity... with Elk River being so far north. But, aside from that... I wish you were in my area last night, as well. Dinner together would have been fun. <smile>
Hi Karen Anne - Even though I know this wasn't your photograph (from the comment above), I still don't think you ever sleep! We had thunderstorms lighting up our sky last night, but I didn't get any good photos. Hopefully tonight's moon will be pretty good - it is supposed to be clear!
Wow....absolutely breathtaking.
Glenn: When you want to catch a photo of the moon like this... you must catch it just after it clears the horizon when it is rising. If it gets any higher... the effect can disappear. And thank you... it would be hard to even imagine the moon looking more gorgeous than this.
Kathy: You are welcome. Give it a try this evening. But, as I mentioned to Glenn... you have to catch it just as it is rising above the horion. The higher in the sky it rises... the more the effect disappears.
Gene: Having a coyote in the picture would add a nice touch. I would think that for some it would ADD a new dimension, and for some it would be a distraction. That is one of the great things about photos, and about art in general. Everyone who looks at it... is coming to it from a different perspective.
Bill: All of that is great information. I was going to add all of that into my post as I was writing it, but I changed my mind, and decided not to. With that photo so gorgeous... I did not want to get overly technical... but rather simply focus on the beauty of the scene.
Lesley: I hope your husby like this. Just copy and paste the picture... and tell him you took it just for him. He'll be impressed... and I'll NEVER tell. And... you are very welcome.
Chris: Well... about me sleeping... <smile> I had already BEEN asleep... and could not STAY asleep. I guess the nap I took during the day was too extended... and messed up my "internal sleep clock." So... I got BACK up... looked at my Google news page, and found this picture. It was so gorgeous... I couldn't help but write a post about it. Plus, the Autumnal Equinox is a day, and a time of the year that interests me. Lots of spiritual significance in the "natural religions."
Kerrie: Good evening, young lady. Yes... I have heard that about you... that you were absolutely breathtaking. <smile>
Oh... you meant the picture of the moon ! OK... I was having trouble focusing there for a minute. When I first saw this "harvest moon" photo last night... I just sat there... gazing at it. In fact... I hit "maximize" on my Picasa screen, and had the photo take up the entire screen. Then, I turned off every light in the room, and lit a very small little candle. The effect was about as relaxing as could be. What a great way to turn my "internal sleep clock" around... and get my circadian rhythms back on track.
Gotta love a Harvest moon. I was chasing one around a few weeks back but never got a shot like this.
Well, NASA should be congratulated on the photo, but I would never have seen it if you had not posted it--SO THANKS! It is beautiful and a great reminder to pause and appreciate the beauty around us.
kind of sad I missed it I thought it was tonight duh!
I thought my view from my porch was pretty, but that photo is just awesome and breath taking. Glad you found and shared it.
If I'm ever in your area I'll let you know! I'll make sure it's around the harvest moon time. That's a beauty you can't buy.
Thank you Karen Anne, But unfortunately my husband knows I do not take pictures this lovely, but it will get me good brownie points.
I was guessing Arizona in this one too, and I love how at the low horizon the moon gets so magnified.
Ellie in # 28: A Harvest Moon IS awesome. There was/is an old-timey song about one... called Shine On Harvest Moon. When I get out of IE here, and back to FireFox... I will put in a link to the song.
So... did you finally at least get a glimpse of the Harvest Moon? I hope so. I hear EVERYTHING is prettier in Ellicott City, Maryland. I know, I've been there.
Liz in # 29: NASA did good... as they say. And, if I had not seen the photo by accident... I wouldn't even have known about it myself. So you are welcome. Lots of beauty around us. All we have to do to see it... most of the time... is to just "open our eyes."
There is a saying that goes someone like... "We don't have to go to new places to see beauty. All we really have to do, is see that which is in front of us... with new eyes."
Marilyn in # 30: Sorry you missed it. But... here's a lil secret. I think the moon comes up just about every night... so perhaps you might catch a glimpse of what is left of the harvest moon... maybe tonight ? I dunno. Don't know for sure if it works that way.
Tammy in # 31: I am glad I did, as well. Sharing beautiful things amplifies the beauty... mostly because it is then also reflected both in the minds and the eyes of the person shared-with.
Lindsey in # 32: I am not sure how often a real Harvest Moon shows up... but I am not certain that I want to wait that long to have lunch. And Lindsey, much of the beauty that REALLY matters... cannot be bought. It must be given... or simply "found"... serendipitously. (Love that word... )
Lesley in # 33: Oh... that smarty-pants husband of yours. But, then again, brownie points are always great. Jeez... now you got me hungry for fresh brownies... hmmm.
Gary in # 34: Poor Arizona. They could surely use some beauty over there... what with all the weeping, the gnashing of teeth, and the intense anger and fear that appears rampant with SOME of those poor folks. They could use some beauty... magnified, or whatever !
Connie in # 1: How did your drumming gathering go ? Was it connected with one of the "natural religions" or with "natural or indigenous spirituality ?" It appears you couldn't have had a better night for it. Mother Nature and Sister Moon were indeed smiling down on you and your friends. I'd like to know more. Take care...
Karen Anne, what a stunning photo. To late, of course, to be out with a camera, but I learned something new.
My Husband say you have a big lens. What exactly are you two not telling? He has been out of town all week and said he was in Manitoba. Was he checking out your "lens" and Brownies?
Karen Ann.. How in the world did I miss this blog????? What a fool I am. This is one of the best photos I have seen of the moon in YEARS.
Here are some groups you might want to repost it to for more exposure.. no pun intended.
Express with Photography
Photography
Photos
Karen.. Yes me again. I have a question for you. Would you consider getting this picture blown up (to an 8x10) and letting me buy it from you?
Valerie, no. But I would consider blowing it up to an 8x10 and GIVING it to you. How's that ? <smile>
Lesley in #40: Please tell your husband to quit staring at my "big lenses." And... I only share my "Brownies" with other Girl Scouts. Tell him to get his own Brownies. <very impish grin>
I just wandered by after seeing Valerie's repost. This is just an awesome photograph.
That is a gorgeous scene, Karen! I have NEVER seen so large a moon. Either I'm not living in the right spot, or can't photograph them adequately.