Meteorological vs. Astronomical Seasons
Meteorologists and climatologists define seasons differently from what is more commonly known as “regular” or astronomical seasons. Meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperatures cycle while astronomical seasons are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun.
Astronomical fall is one of two days of the year with nearly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The difference is from this day on days will slowly become shorter and nights longer until the winter solstice on Dec. 21.
Harvest Moon
The Harvest Moon has always intrigued me. I realize it’s not any different from any other full moon, but the preface of where the name originated has made it one of my favorites.
In case you didn’t know, the full moon closest to the September Equinox is called the Harvest Moon. Sometimes this moon occurs in September but can also rise in October. This year the Harvest Moon will happen on Sept. 14 at 12:32 a.m. It may appear extra spooky as it will look full on Sept. 13, which also happens to be this Friday. Next year’s full moon will be on Oct. 1.
There have been many thoughts as to why this particular moon was given the name Harvest Moon, with one standing out among the rest. For several evenings around the Harvest Moon, the moonrise comes soon after sunset. Because of the earlier moonrise, the result leads to an abundance of bright moonlight into the early evening. Due to this additional light it the sky, it’s believed farmers were able to work longer in the field harvesting their summer crops.
Fall Foliage
Fall color is another reason I love this season so much. For the Miami Valley, we typically don’t see a change in the trees until mid to late October. This is all reliable on how wet or dry we are leading up to this point of the year and cooler nights and bright-sunny days would lead to more vibrant and colorful foliage.
Daylight Saving Time
Another important date that falls during autumn is when Daylight Saving Time ends.
The tradition of setting our clocks ahead one hour during the summer months then back an hour during the winter was created to make better use of daylight hours. This year, Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Let me know what's your favorite time of year and why. Send me an email at mccall.vrydaghs@cmgohio.com or feel free to send me a message on Facebook or Twitter.
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