A Harvest Moon will light up the skies this Wednesday

If you're looking for something spectacular to watch this Wednesday night, then you have to keep an eye out for the Harvest Moon which is set to light up the skies.

You will be able to see the full Corn Moon the early morning hours of Wednesday, September 2, when it will peak "opposite" the sun at approximately 1:22 am EDT.

A full moon will begin tonight (August 31) and last for three days, so now really is the perfect time to take a look up at the summer night skies - ideally with binoculars if you have them!

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According to NASA: "The Maine Farmer’s Almanac first published Native American names for the full moons in the 1930s. Over time these names have become widely known and used.

"According to this almanac, as the full Moon in September and the last full moon of summer, the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern USA called this the Corn Moon, as this was the time for gathering their main staple crops of corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice."

The moon has various names in Europe including the Fruit Moon, as this is a time of bounty, and the Barley Moon, as the end of the summer is when barley is typically harvested.

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This moon also has additional spooky significance and its appearance in the sky coincides with the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival.

"The seventh month of the Chinese calendar is the Ghost Month and the fifteenth day of this month (a full moon day) is called Ghost Day, on which ghosts and spirits, including those of deceased ancestors, come out to visit the living," NASA says.

However, it is worth noting that the corn moon not only has cultural significance in China. It also marks the end of a 10-day celebration called the Onam Hindus for Hindus in Kerala, India.

According to NASA: "This full Moon also marks the start of Pitri (or Pitru) Paksha (fortnight of the ancestors) during which Hindus pay homage to their ancestors, especially through food offerings. Pitri Paksha starts with the full moon in the lunar month of Bhadrapada and ends with the new Moon."

Buddhists in Bangladesh and Thailand described the Corn Moon as Modhu Purnima, the Honey Full Moon, or the Honey-offering Festival.

Now, if you're familiar with Buddhism, you'll know that the Honey-offering Festival is connected to the legend that says that a monkey and an elephant fed honey to the Buddha, bringing peace to two fractions, with the elephant bringing fruit and the monkey offering up a honeycomb.

In a nutshell, this is one celestial event that's not to be missed!