USA | Allegheny Mountains | Hunter’s Moon

I am camped out in a remote area of the Allegheny Mountains in anticipation of the Hunter’s Moon, in my opinion the best Full Moon of the year. 

My current abode

The Hunter’s Moon occurs at 2:13 am on Monday, October 26, so on the evening of the 25th the Full Moon will be on full display. The weather forecast is for clear skies; in fact we have had clear skies at my current location for the last four days and the weather is not supposed to change until next Tuesday. We are in the midst of classic Fall weather. Yesterday there was not so much of a wisp of a cloud in the light robin’s egg blue sky the entire day nor even the slightest hint of wind. The grove of hemlock trees where I meditate was as still as a cathedral, the silence interrupted only by the occasional croak of a raven. At night the temperatures have dipped to just below freezing; not cold enough the freeze the water in my tea kettle but cold enough to gel my olive oil. During the the temperatures have been getting up into the 60ºs, and I am comfortably warm while basking in the mid-afternoon sun.

Here the rundown for Thursday October 22:

Moonset: 3:34 am / Azimuth 261º WSW

Moonrise: 4:33 pm / Azimuth 95° ESE

Moon 84% Full / Distance at 7:00 am: 240,497 miles

Sunrise: 7:33 AM am / Azimuth 104º

Sunset: 6:26 PM am / Azimuth 256º

Length of Day: 10 hours, 52 minutes, 40 seconds / 2 minutes 27 seconds shorter than yesterday.

Artemisia drying in my abode. Artemisia is named after the Greek Moon Goddess Artemis.

Artemis

Artemis. A life-long virgin who shunned society, she frequented wild places and was legendary for her skills as a huntress. She is often show with her quiver (according to Greek legend, she and her twin brother Apollo invented the bow and arrow) and a deer, her favorite quarry. Perhaps we should call the upcoming Full Moon the Huntress’s Moon?