The Harvest Moon of Friday the 13th of September, 2019 -- Fear or Luck?

Shine On Harvest Moon
By Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth (1903)

Shine on, shine on harvest moon
Up in the sky,
I ain’t had no lovin’
Since January, February, June or July
Snow time ain’t no time to stay
Outdoors and spoon,
So shine on, shine on harvest moon,
For me and my gal.

Do you have triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13) and you've been feeling a little long in the tooth lately? I may know why. If you find yourself in this “hairy” situation Friday night, you can blame the lunar effect – the rare Harvest Moon of Friday the 13^th.

On Friday, the moon will coincide with apogee, which is the point in its orbit where it’s at its greatest distance from Earth. The last time there was a split-time zone Harvest Moon was on June 13, 2014, when the Eastern time zone saw it on Friday the 13th and the rest of the country experienced it the day before.

The last nationwide full moon on Friday the 13th happened on October 13, 2000. It's not expected to happen again until August 13, 2049. This particular Harvest Moon is a rare event, and one that's causing speculation in superstitious circles.

“Harvest Moon” got its name after it allowed farmers to harvest their summer crops during the early evening thanks to the ample amount of bright moonlight that came through.

"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," according to Alan MacRobert, an editor at Sky &Telescope magazine.

What was so special about a Harvest Moon? The Moon rises about the time the Sun sets, but more importantly, at this time of year, instead of rising its normal average 50 minutes later each day, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night leading up to when it’s full. For example, between September 12th and 14th, the rising of the Moon comes, on average, less than 27 minutes later each night, thus providing light for the farmer to continue gathering crops, even after the Sun has set.

Of course, harvest is the most important time of the agricultural calendar; the fortunes of farms, families, and even entire communities are tied to its outcome. In almost every farming culture worldwide, harvest has developed its own array of deities, traditions, and superstitions to safeguard its success.

The Harvest Moon of September 13, 2019 is also a “Micro” Moon. It will appear about 14 percent smaller. But, it is likely most who view the body will notice little difference.

And, what about the fact that this Harvest Moon occurs on Friday the 13th? Many people hold fast to the belief that Friday the 13th brings bad luck. Despite the fact no data exists to confirm that the number 13 is an unlucky number, research has linked Friday the 13th to decreased traffic and cheaper air fares (due to the fact that so many people decline to leave the house on that ill-fated day).

Friday has long been considered an unlucky day in Western tradition. E. Cobham Brewer's 1898 Dictionary of Phrase and Fable claims Friday as the day that Jesus was crucified and perhaps the day that Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, according to Christian beliefs. Also, the Christian tale of the Last Supper holds Judas, Jesus' betrayer, as the "unlucky" 13th guest.

The idea that 13 was an unlucky number actually goes way back to ancient mythology. A Norse myth told of a dinner party for 12 gods in Valhalla at which a 13th guest showed up uninvited. The gatecrasher – the trickster god Loki – shot Balder, the god of joy and happiness, with an arrow/spear made out of mistletoe. Balder died and the earth turned dark. From then on 13 was considered an unlucky number.

So, what do you think about a full Harvest Moon occurring on Friday the 13th? Well, if you have a morbid fear of Friday the 13^th (friggatriskaidekaphobia), you may choose to stay in bed under the covers. You may take consolation in the fact that although all years will have at least one Friday the 13^th, there cannot be more than three Friday the 13ths in any given calendar year.

Or, you could hop on a plane to Italy where Friday the 17^th and not Friday the 13^th is considered to be a day that brings bad luck. In fact, the number 13 is thought to be a lucky number there. The number 13 is associated with the Goddess of Fertility and the lunar cycles. It is thought the number brings prosperity and abundant life. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Finally, here is another way to look at bad luck and trouble. According to University of Cincinnati popular culture expert Rebecca Borah, associate professor of English and comparative literature in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, anything unfortunate associated with bad numbers would be a means for making sense of events that might otherwise seem inexplicable.

So, to a certain extent, these beliefs do the same for us still. Said Borah, "Tell me that if you're computer goes on the fritz on Friday the 13th, you don't feel a little bit better for having a ready-made explanation. And that's a psychological plus in a frustrating situation."

(M.b. Reilly. “Friday the 13th and other bad-luck beliefs actually do us some good.” phys.org. February 13, 2015.)

Here's hoping your howl at the Friday the 13^th Harvest Moon is a blast, no matter your beliefs. I hope the event doesn't find you sprouting hair and gnarly fangs while transforming into a murderous lunatic. I hope those who fear the natural event don't freak out in any way. I wish you all the best under the moonlight, especially those who “ain't had no lovin' since January, February, June, or July.”

Dancing In the Moonlight

By King Harvest

We get it on most every night
When that moon is big and bright
It's a supernatural delight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight

[Refrain]
Everybody here is out of sight
They don't bark and they don't bite
They keep things loose, they keep things light
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight

[Chorus]
Dancing in the moonlight
Everybody's feeling warm and bright
It's such a fine and natural sight
Everybody's dancing in the moonlight
Dancing In the Moonlight