The month of October—commonly and fondly known as "spooky season"—isn't just about witches, wizards, horror movies, and all things ominous and supernatural. It's the month that this year's Full Hunter's Moon has chosen to fall in this year (October 13, to be exact), and it's going to be bigger and better than ever.
This year's Full Hunter's Moon rises from the sky's horizon right around sunset, meaning it may appear even bigger and more orange than your typical full moon does. This happens thanks to the "Moon Illusion," which is when your brain tricks you into thinking the moon appears larger than normal.
According to the Farmer's Almanac, the Full Hunter’s Moon is one of only two full Moon names that is not tied to a specific month. It can occur in either October or November, depending on the year.
Legend has it that this particular full Moon is known as the Full Hunter’s Moon because it once signaled the time to go hunting in preparation for winter, according to the Farmer's Almanac. "Since the harvesters had recently reaped the fields under the Harvest Moon, hunters could easily see the fattened deer and other animals that had come out to glean (and the foxes and wolves that had come out to prey on them)," the website says. The more you know!
The Full Hunter’s Moon will reach its peak fullness on Sunday, October 13, 2019, at 5:08 p.m. EST.