Autumn Moon 2008

The 2nd most celebrated Chinese festival is Mid-Autumn Festival, and it's only about one moon away now. This year lunar 8/15 falls on September 14th, 2008

You may want to start looking for mooncakes at the Chinese grocery store, review Mid-Autumn Festival information, decide whether you want to go into your child's school to celebrate, or even start talking to their teachers (the sooner the better on that one since it is "early" this year. I suspect many teachers might be happiest with just a special snack as they will be still getting their own routines set). Or, surprise some friends online with e-cards. You can set up today to be delivered on September 14th!

We still have a pdf file of 2008 showing how the phases of the moon compare to the 2008 calendar. If you would like a copy, please post a comment with your email, or email me.

"August Moon Names"

As I read the Chinese calendar, we are still in the lunisolar term "major heat" but almost to the "start of Autumn". Some non-Chinese websites say that the Chinese call this month "Harvest Moon".

According to India's National civil calendar, today starts the month of Shraavan.
In the Hebrew calendar, we are in the month of Av.
On the Islamic calendar, we are in the month of SHa`baan.

Keith's Moon Page has a list of Full Moon Names that include: Native American, Chinese, New Guinean Colonial American, English Medieval and Neo-Pagan. Sadly, he lists the full moon names by months, when we know most of the cultures did not date them that way. The Crystal Forest monthly moon name suffers from the same dating problem. I still love to see all of the different names together.

English Medieval: Corn Moon
Celtic: Dispute Moon
Colonial American: Dog Day's Moon
Native American (Cherokee): Harvest Moon
Native American (Choctaw): Women's Moon
Native American (Dakotah Sioux): Moon When All Things Ripen
Neo Pagan: Lightening Moon