HARVEST MOON

September 20th marks the rise of what is known in the Northern Hemisphere as the "Harvest Moon". It is the closest full moon to the autumn equinox and lands as either the last full moon of the summer season or the first full moon of autumn. 

The moon's own orbital motion moves itself eastward night after night and through the constellations of the zodiac. As a result of this, it shifts 12 degrees within a 24 hour span, meaning that there is a longer time span (50 minutes) for the Earth's rotation towards a specific point on the moon. During the Harvest Moon, the Moon is observed to rise at roughly the same time for multiple days in a row, bucking the tradition of its constant shift and more practically providing additional light for farmers to harvest. 

The Harvest Moon is most popularly known for it's warm orange colour, a physical effect that falls to human ocular perception as we gaze across what is a greater thickness of the earth's atmosphere toward the horizon. 

Science aside, the symbolism of the Harvest Moon is that of a connection between life and death, growth and decay, natural cycles, and seasonal times. It is a marker for new beginnings coming after hard work and dedication and is a time for individual preparation for the darker months. 

As we head in to less sunlight, we draw inwards connecting with our biological desire for hibernation. In these times, the practice of grounding through meditation, breath work and community connection can play an important role in supporting this transition. 

This Harvest Moon think about your connection to yourself and those you choose to hold community with, all that you have manifested for yourselves and what you would like to build in the time leading to our collective re-birth in spring. At Regional Archive, we are celebrating the manifestation of this space where we are connecting and look forward to encouraging a positive shift for this community through our offering.