The Harvest Moon doesn't shine brighter than other full moons. It's the early rise times on evenings after the full moon that make it unique. The total eclipse Even though the Harvest Moon got its name for providing farmers with brilliant moonlight to gather crops after dark, the Sept. 26 Harvest Moon will let them down for a few hours. For the second time since April, the full moon will make a slow descent into Earth's shadow. This will make the bright moon darken and turn a reddish orange-color during an eclipse that will last throughout the evening.
Lunar eclipses occur when Earth passes between the moon and the sun.
This allows the shadow of Earth to fall on the moon. Unlike solar eclipses, there is no danger to your eyes when gazing at an eclipse of the moon. Rather than a few fleeting moments of total eclipse during a solar event, lunar eclipses can last many minutes, even hours. Lunar eclipses can be seen from wherever the moon is visible, or over half of Earth's surface. Solar eclipses often require observers to travel to remote locations where the moon's shadow touches Earth.