月亮盈亏的周期差不多是一个月的时间。在国外，每个月的满月都有一个专门的名称。中秋节的月亮正值农业上的收获时节，所以被称为“收获之月”。
A 'Micro Harvest Moon' is coming
by Jamie Carter
Fall is a very special time of the year for sky-watchers. One of the key sights at this wonderful time is the Harvest Moon, which occurs this Friday or Saturday depending on where you are on the planet.
sight /saɪt/ n. 看到的东西
harvest /ˈhɑːvɪst/ n./v. 收获
occur /əˈkɜː(r)/ v. 发生
depend on 取决于
A supermoon is when the full moon appears to be larger in the sky than usual because it's relatively close to the Earth, while a micro moon looks smaller than usual. The moon has an elliptical（椭圆形的） orbit, so once in its 29 day journey around our planet it's as close as it gets and once it's the furthest it gets.
supermoon /ˈsuːpəmuːn/ n. 超级月亮（由moon加上表示超级的前缀super-）
full moon 满月、圆月
relatively /ˈrelətɪvli/ adv. 相对而言
micro /ˈmaɪkrəʊ/ adj. 微小的
orbit /ˈɔːbɪt/ n. （天体运行的）轨道
This weekend's Harvest Moon is a micro moon, so it's going to be slightly less bright than average. However, if you think that makes any difference to the experience of watching the Harvest Moon close to a horizon, you would be mistaken. It's still going to be a majestic（雄伟的） sight.
slightly /ˈslaɪtli/ adv. 稍微（由slight加后缀-ly变成副词）
horizon /həˈraɪz(ə)n/ n. 地平线
mistaken /mɪˈsteɪk(ə)n/ adj. 弄错的、搞错了的
In China the Harvest Moon kick-starts the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Mooncake Festival, while in Japan they celebrate tsukimi ("moon-viewing").
kick-start 使开始
mooncake /ˈmuːnkeɪk/ n. 月饼（由moon和cake组成）
Officially, the moon reaches 100% illumination at the same global time of 4:33 UTC (12:33 China Standard Time) on Saturday. Technically, Friday evening is the very "best" time to see a full moon this month, though Thursday and Saturday would do just as well, and even Wednesday and Sunday because the Harvest Moon rises only around 20 minutes later each night. Mostly the moon rises around 50 minutes later each night.
officially /əˈfɪʃ(ə)li/ adv. 正式地（由official加后缀-ly变成副词）
illumination /ɪˌluːmɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 照亮（由illuminate加后缀-ion变成名词）
global /ˈɡləʊb(ə)l/ adj. 全球的、全世界的
UTC 国际协调时间
standard /ˈstændəd/ adj. 标准的
technically /ˈteknɪk(ə)li/ adv. 准确地说
very /ˈveri/ adv. 完全（表示强调）
mostly /ˈməʊstli/ adv. 通常、一般来说
Why is it called the Harvest Moon? It's all about timing. Traditionally it's called the Harvest Moon because a full moon in September coincides with a time when there's a lot of harvesting of crops going on in the northern hemisphere. Since a full moon occurs when the Earth is roughly between the Sun and the moon, it is 100% illuminated and, what's more, it rises around sunset and sets around sunrise. Since it shines all night long, it's useful to farmers working late in the fields.
timing /ˈtaɪmɪŋ/ n. 时机
coincide /ˌkəʊɪnˈsaɪd/ v. 同时发生
hemisphere /ˈhemɪsfɪə(r)/ n. 半个地球（northern hemisphere就是北半球）
roughly /ˈrʌfli/ adv. 大约
illuminate /ɪˈluːmɪneɪt/ v. 照亮
sunset /ˈsʌnset/ n. 日落（由sun和set组成）
sunrise /ˈsʌnraɪz/ n. 日出（由sun和rise组成）
Despite the practical nature of September's moon, there is a more precise definition: A Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the fall equinox.
practical /ˈpræktɪk(ə)l/ adj. 实用的
nature /ˈneɪtʃə(r)/ n. 本性、本质
precise /prɪˈsaɪs/ adj. 准确的、确切的
definition /ˌdefɪˈnɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 定义（由define加后缀-ition变成名词）
fall equinox /ˈekwɪnɒks/ 秋分
The cooling of the weather in September tempts many people to make false conclusions about the seasons. No, fall does not begin on September 1. It starts on the date of the fall equinox. That's the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving south. Fall has always started then, and always will. It officially marks the beginning of astronomical（天文学的） fall in the northern hemisphere, and the beginning of spring in the southern hemisphere.
cool /kuːl/ v. 降温
tempt /tempt/ v. 诱使
false /fɒls/ adj. 错误的
conclusion /kənˈkluːʒ(ə)n/ n. 结论
celestial /sɪˈlestiəl/ equator /ɪˈkweɪtə(r)/ 天赤道（地球赤道在天球上的投影）
mark /mɑːk/ v. 标记
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