An aircraft crosses in front of the Mid-Autumn Harvest Moon. Kawasaki City, Kawasaki Ward. (©Sankei by Kazuya Kamogawa)
On September 17, Japan celebrated the Mid-Autumn Harvest Moon, which falls on the 15th day of the 8th month in the traditional lunisolar calendar. Traditionally, the moon is considered especially beautiful at this time.
That evening, people across Tokyo, Osaka, and many other cities ventured out to admire the moon. In Kawasaki City, near Haneda Airport, a surreal scene unfolded as an airplane crossed paths with the large, glowing moon.
Aviation Enthusiasts Capture the Moment
At Higashi-Ogishima East Park in Kawasaki City, dozens of aviation and astronomy enthusiasts gathered, hoping to capture the "miraculous moment" when the moon and an airplane aligned. A plane enthusiast from Yokohama shared proudly, "The clear skies this year, without a single cloud, allowed me to take my best photo yet."
According to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, this year's Harvest Moon was not a full moon. The full moon is expected to occur today (September 18) due to slight shifts in the positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. The next time the Harvest Moon coincides with a full moon will be on September 12, 2030, six years from now.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
