Arriving in Colorado last evening, I was greeted by a bright full moon, rising above the Eastern Plains of our State. Throughout the night, it cast deep shadows across our farm before setting in the West, an hour before sunrise.
This is the second full moon this month and is thus commonly referred to as a blue moon, an astronomical event that occurs every 2-3 years. Since the full moon in early October was the closest full moon to the autumn equinox, it was designated this year's Harvest Moon. That, by tradition, makes this late October full moon the Hunter's Moon, known for its brightness and its facilitation of nocturnal hunting.
Human hunters, deficient in natural night vision, appreciate the heavenly spotlight. Great horned owls, on the other hand, manage just fine in the dark; nevertheless, two of those raptors, hooting to each other last night, seemed to be enjoying the moon-lit landscape. Halloween weekend at its best!
