A harvest moon will rise this weekend. What you need to know about the full moon.

• The harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox.
• September is usually the month associated with the harvest moon.
• At moon rise, the moon is often reddened by clouds and dust in our atmosphere.

A stunning harvest full moon will rise in the eastern sky Friday evening, and the nearly full moon will be visible each night through the weekend, barring pesky clouds.

Skywatchers who step outside Friday night or early Saturday will be able to enjoy the sights of the harvest moon, one of the most popular full moons of the year. It’s directly related to the changing of the seasons, AccuWeather said. 

The full moon peaks on Saturday at about 6 a.m. EDT, although it will appear bright and full in the sky beginning on Friday and into Sunday, according to LiveScience

The harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox, which this year will be Sept. 22. 

Why is it called the harvest moon?

The harvest moon has its history in the fields.

“In the days before tractors with headlights, having moonlight to work by was crucial to getting the harvest in quickly before rain caused it to rot,” says Alan MacRobert, an editor at Sky & Telescope magazine.

Many crops ripen all at once in late summer and early autumn, so farmers found themselves extremely busy at this time of year, according to NASA. They had to work after sundown. Moonlight became an essential part of farming, and the harvest moon was born.

The Oxford English Dictionary gives 1706 as the year of the first published use of the harvest moon, NASA said.

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What are some other moon nicknames?

September’s full moon also has other nicknames inspired by farmers and the seasonal changes of early autumn, including the corn moon, rutting moon, yellow leaf moon and autumn moon, AccuWeather said. 

At moonrise, the moon is also often reddened by clouds and dust in Earth’s atmosphere. Moons near the horizon are also swollen to outlandish size by the “moon illusion,” a well-known but still mysterious trick of the eye that makes low-hanging moons seem much larger than they really are.

Jupiter and Saturn will also make an appearance 

In addition to the full moon, you can take a peek at Jupiter and Saturn in the sky this weekend, AccuWeather said. “Jupiter and Saturn will be rising with the full moon on Friday evening with the trio appearing in a row splayed across the southeastern sky by 10 p.m. local time.