Here's When To Catch This Month’s Extra Creepy Full Moon

Thanks to a bout of warm weather and optimism, most of us have been able to kid ourselves over the last few weeks that summer's not quite over. But with the arrival of the Harvest Moon on Oct. 5, it's hard to ignore the facts: fall is here. It's the most autumnal full moon of the year, so you're going to want to know when the best time to see the Harvest Moon is — because even though you're sad about summer being over, I'm sure you'll be glad to ring in the fall with a gorgeous, celestial sight. I mean, this full moon is so famous there's a Neil Young song about it — so if you're wondering if it's worth it to spend some time outside observing it, the answer is clearly yes.

Personally, I think we should always take every opportunity to get outside, disconnect for a moment, and just be present and appreciate the natural world. I'll always say yes to a full moon viewing. It's all too easy to let days and weeks go by without ever being more than a few feet away from our phones and screens and without ever looking up. So especially if you've been a little bit too plugged-in lately, you should plan on spending some time outside checking out the Harvest Moon and getting some fresh air.

The actual full moon will occur at 2:40 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 5, but because that's in the middle of the day for us in the U.S., you might not be able to see it that well. You'll likely want to wait until nightfall to check out the moon, because against the contrast of the black sky, it will stand out the most. And no, you don't need any special equipment, just wait until the sun goes down, walk outside, and look up! That said, there's something pretty special about a daytime full moon. It seems mystical and misplaced, like there was some kind of miscommunication among the celestial bodies and the moon showed up before the party started or something.

But no matter what time you check out the full moon on Oct. 5, you'll get a good dose of pretty. That's the thing about the moon: it's always an epic sight, so a full moon is a guaranteed awesome sight.

Plus, every full moon is another opportunity to reflect on the month behind and set intentions for the month ahead. It's a great time to be contemplative and take note of how things are going for you. Is there something toxic weighing you down? Is there a healthy habit that you've neglected? Or, perhaps, there are things that you know you need to address, but have been avoiding. Let the Harvest Moon be a reminder to you that it's always a good time to work on self improvement. And as the Harvest Moon in particular was a reminder to farmers to go out and collect from their crops to ready themselves for the cold months, it can be a reminder to you to get your ducks in a row and make sure that you're leading your healthiest life, mentally and physically.

The fall isn't only about mourning the end of the summer and overdosing on pumpkin spice products, it's also about establishing a good situation for yourself so that by the time we go into the winter months, you're feeling settled and secure. So enjoy the Harvest Moon, make a night out of it, and let it inspire you do get your life in order. If you're not happy about the way things have been going, now's the time to make adjustments.