Tonight the nights will begin to get longer and the Harvest Moon will be there to greet us and remind us that even though there will be longer periods of darkness, the moon and stars are there to keep us from losing our way. I love the Harvest Moon. It is always so much larger and prettier than usual. I'm not sure why that is. I know it has something to do with the fact that it appears lower on the horizon and the atmosphere has some interesting effect on the reds and blues in the light.
I love the autumn sky the best because my old friend Orion, the hunter is always visible with his broad shoulders hovering over us. Also tonight Jupiter will be very visible near the moon shining brightly all night long. I read that this is the only time in our lifetime we will be able to see Jupiter and moon together all night long. Cassiopeia (the Queen) will also be in the northern sky (above Polaris, the North Star) and in the northwest before dawn. She is easy to find because she is shaped like a big letter W or M if you are looking at her upside down. To add to the excitement in the autumn sky this year, Comet Hartley 2 possibly 2010’s brightest comet should be bright enough to see with binoculars by now. It may be visible to the unaided eye by October. Shine on Harvest Moon!!
