Look up tonight, Boiseans. You’re in for an autumn treat. See these 2 photos

Treasure Valley dwellers are in for a delight for a few end-of-October nights: the Hunter’s Moon.

So named because of the approach of hunting season, the moon was full on Saturday, Oct. 28. It was impressive Friday night when nearly full (the left side was still slightly flattened), and it should remain impressive as it starts to wane (and the right side begins to flatten) Sunday and Monday.

“The Hunter’s Moon is the first full moon to follow the Harvest Moon,” says the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The Harvest Moon occurred Sept. 29, one lunar cycle earlier.

The view is especially impressive when the moon is still low as it rises in the east. It appears larger then than it does high in the sky, though scientists say that is an optical illusion.

You can also see this moon in the morning in the west, before it sets.

Take a look at these Friday pictures taken in Boise, the first by Darin Oswald, the second by Sarah A. Miller, both Idaho Statesman photographers:

Good, clear viewing was expected to continue through Monday night. The National Weather Service in Boise on Sunday forecast clear skies Sunday and Monday nights, and partly cloudy skies Halloween night Tuesday, Oct. 31, when the moon will still shine with about nine-tenths of its full light.

Bundle up before you step outside to look up. The forecast calls for lows of 26 degrees Sunday night, 30 degrees Monday night and 34 degrees Tuesday night.

Moonrise times, per Timeanddate.com: 6:37 p.m. Saturday, 7:04 p.m. Sunday, 7:38 p.m. Monday, and 8:20 p.m. Tuesday. The moon sets at 8:02 a.m. Saturday, 9:20 a.m. Sunday, 10:38 a.m. Monday and 11:51 a.m. Tuesday.

This story was originally published October 27, 2023 at 8:44 PM.