Saturday's full Moon is the Harvest Moon, and it rises at sunset with Saturn right beside it. Here's exactly when to look, where, and why it glows orange.
The Moon turns exactly full at 12:49 p.m. ET (9:49 a.m. PT) on Saturday, Sept. 26. It's below the horizon then, so the real show is moonrise that evening.
It rises in the east near sunset: about 6:35 p.m. in New York, 6:29 p.m. in Chicago, 6:41 p.m. in Denver and 6:39 p.m. in Los Angeles, local time.
Look just below the Moon for a steady golden 'star.' That's Saturn, which reaches opposition Oct. 4 and is near its brightest. Any small telescope shows the rings.
It's the full Moon closest to the fall equinox, which fell on Sept. 22. Its bright light right after sunset once let farmers keep bringing in crops after dark.
Moonrise usually comes about 50 minutes later each night. This week the gap is under 30 minutes: 6:12 p.m. Friday, 6:35 Saturday, 6:59 Sunday in New York.
Near the horizon, moonlight crosses far more air. The atmosphere scatters blue light away and lets red and orange through, the same effect that colors sunsets.
A giant rising Moon is an illusion: your brain inflates it next to trees and hills. This Harvest Moon is not a supermoon, but it will still look enormous low in the sky.
Shoot in the first 30 minutes after moonrise, while the sky still has color. Frame a landmark, use the telephoto lens, tap the Moon and slide exposure down.
October's full Moon, the Hunter's Moon, peaks Oct. 26 at 12:12 a.m. ET (9:12 p.m. PT on Oct. 25) and is a supermoon. November and December bring two more.
Face east around sunset Saturday, find the orange Moon with Saturn beside it, then catch a near-repeat Sunday. All you need is a clear sky and a phone.