September’s “Corny” Moon, photo by Kevin’s Stuff

The Autumnal Equinox took place at 11 PM last night:

An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth’s equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name “equinox” is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day are approximately equally long.

Today is the full moon, and as it’s the moon closest to the equinox, it’s known as the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is also known as the Wine Moon, the Singing Moon and the Elk Call Moon.

Kevin took this shot last year at the James C. Veen Observatory of a September moon that was actually the Corn Moon as last year had an early October Harvest Moon. Check this out bigger in his Astronomy 2009 slideshow.