The Harvest Moon
Space.com:
The Harvest Moon Moon is the one that comes the closest to the September equinox, so this year it falls in September, although in one out of three years this title can be bestowed upon the October Full Moon. The 2004 version of the Harvest Moon comes relatively close to the equinox -- slightly less than five days after it -- although it can occur as early as Sept. 8 (as in 1976) or as late as Oct. 7 (as in 1987).
...
What sets Tuesday’s Full Moon apart from the others is that farmers at the climax of the current harvest season can work late into the night by the Moon’s light. It 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.
Posted by jackhodgson at September 24, 2004 08:19 AM