This weekend, the Harvest Moon will be visible in the skies over the UK, just days after the autumn equinox. The full Moon will officially reach its peak at 17:49 BST on Saturday, 26 September. Although it will still be below the horizon for much of the UK at that time, it will rise shortly after and appear nearly full throughout Saturday evening. The Harvest Moon gets its name because it is the full Moon closest to the autumn equinox, which occurred this year on Wednesday, 23 September. The Royal Observatory Greenwich notes that the Corn Moon is another traditional name for this Moon, reflecting the time of year when crops are typically harvested. However, the Harvest Moon does not always occur in September; if the full Moon in October is closer to the equinox, it will take the title instead. When the Harvest Moon rises, it can appear yellow, orange, or even reddish. This is due to the way light travels through the Earth's atmosphere. As the Moon is low on the horizon, its light must pass through more atmosphere, scattering shorter blue wavelengths and making yellows, oranges, and reds more visible to the eye. Weather forecasts suggest that Saturday could bring drier and brighter conditions, especially in parts of England. However, there may be cloud cover further west, with rain expected in Scotland and Northern Ireland by the evening. The best chances for clear skies seem to be in southern and eastern parts of the UK, while other areas may experience more changeable weather. The exact time of moonrise will vary across the country but will occur shortly after the Moon reaches its peak.