UAE skywatchers, look up: Harvest Moon and Saturn to light up weekend skies

UAE residents are encouraged to look up Saturday night for a celestial display featuring the Harvest Moon and Saturn. The full Moon will reach its exact phase at 8.49pm UAE time on Saturday, September 26, but it will rise earlier, around 5.54pm in Dubai, shortly before sunset at 6.11pm. The Moon will ascend in the eastern sky as darkness falls, with Saturn visible nearby.

The Harvest Moon, named for its timing in relation to the autumn equinox, traditionally provided farmers with extra evening light for harvesting crops. This year's Moon is also known as the Corn Moon. When the full Moon is near the horizon, it can appear larger than when overhead, a phenomenon known as the Moon illusion. The Moon will appear orange or reddish at moonrise due to atmospheric scattering of light.

Saturn will join the Moon in the evening sky, creating an easily spotted pair. While the Harvest Moon is not a supermoon, it is a unique opportunity for skywatchers to observe the Moon and Saturn close together. Other celestial events in September and early October include spotting Mercury and Venus in the western sky, the Moon passing the Pleiades star cluster, and the red star Aldebaran appearing near Aldebaran and Capella.