A full moon rises Saturday, following on the heels of Friday the 13th. Take your chances, or let RedEye prepare you for the loony weekend ahead.
The allure of the moon
Many cultures and pagan religions associate the full moon with a powerful and emotional energy.
In ancient agrarian societies, people planted and harvested according to the moon’s phases, which led to moon-related mythology and iconic worship, says local astrologer Lynn Staudacher, who also runs creativity training sessions.
Plant a seed (make a wish) and harvest the produce (reap the benefit). By the full moon, the wish should start coming to fruition, Staudacher explains. “The moon is the archetype of how do we feel and how do we gain our emotional security.”
Wicca is a pagan tradition centered on nature, often described as modern witchcraft. Wiccans worship at the turn of the seasons, and on new and full moons.
The moon also is associated with craziness or lunacy, derived from “luna,” the Latin word for moon. According to urban legend, hospitals admit more mental patients to psychiatric wards during the full moon.
The full moon is sometimes blamed for an uptick in accidents, violence and general health problems too.
But even those who dismiss all folklore and astrology as pure bunk must make a few allowances–for example, tides respond to the moon’s gravitational effects and the female menstrual cycle follows the moon’s 28-day calendar too. Coincidence?
Go skating by moonlight
Cost: Free
Where: Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.
Get Inline Chicagoland hosts the event that kicks off from Navy Pier at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. (Meet in front of the Ferris wheel on the lower level.)
Skaters head north along the lakefront with a few rest stops on the way and then loop back to the Pier’s beer garden to watch the fireworks. Around 35 to 50 skaters turn out for the event, according to organizers. On this skate, participants will be divided into two pace groups and also will wear protective blinking lights.
Try full moon-ing
Where: Cell Block Chicago,
3702 N. Halsted St.
Participants in Cell Block’s monthly contest drop trou for the crowd at this leather gay bar with a prison theme. Cell Block staff snaps digital photos of contestants’ “moons” and projects them on a screen. Winners are selected by audience reaction and receive a $100 gift certificate to Male Hide leather. The contest kicks off around midnight. “Everyone wants to gawk at what they don’t have,” a bar manager quipped.
When to see it
In Chicago, the full moon will rise at 9:15 p.m. Saturday and will set at 6:04 a.m. Sunday, according to the U. S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department. Check out their Web site for more moon and sun data (http://aa.usno.navy.mil).
Get your full moon groove on
Where: Funky Buddha Lounge,
728 W. Grand Ave.
Full Moon Dance African
Percussion ensemble performs Saturday night at this River West hot spot.
Moon explained
RedEye asked Adler Planetarium Astronomer Larry Ciupik to explain moon phases and phenomena:
What is a full moon?
The full moon appears when the earth is positioned between the sun and the moon, and the moon is exactly opposite to the sun. It occurs halfway through the moon’s phase cycle.
How long is the moon’s cycle?
As compared to the stars, around 27 1/3 days, but a full moon occurs every 29 1/2 days. The moon orbits around the Earth once a month, but the Earth moves around the sun at the same time. Given the differing rates, the moon must travel a bit farther–an extra day and a half–to match up with the sun and result in a full moon.
How do I know if it’s a full or almost-full moon?
The full moon rises as the sun sets. If it appears 45 minutes earlier or later, it’s about 12 degrees off position (a day before or after full). A full moon will look entirely lit and perfectly round, rather than appearing slightly oval in shape.
What is a new moon?
A new moon occurs when the moon is positioned between the sun and the Earth, and the moon is exactly in the direction of the sun. The new moon isn’t visible because the surface facing the Earth is cast in shadow (and the bright sun blots out the fainter moon, except on the rare occasions of a solar eclipse). The new moon occurs at the start of the moon’s cycle.
Why does the full moon change colors or appear larger?
In the summer, the full moon appears lower in the sky. Near the horizon, the Earth’s atmosphere scatters blue light more than red light, making it appear red or orange. When the moon is near the horizon, foreground objects such as trees or buildings fool the eye into believing the “moon illusion,” or when the moon looks larger than normal.
What is a blue moon?
The second full moon in any calendar month. It happens every couple of years–a relatively rare event. The next blue moon will occur July 31, 2004.
Why is June’s full moon called the “strawberry moon” or the “rose moon”?
Full moon names are probably associated with picking or growing times. March is the “maple sugar moon,” and September is the “harvest moon.”
Where is the best place to view the full moon in the summer?
In Chicago, go to the lakefront. Go wherever you can see a good horizon. Or go south–the moon is easier to see because it will appear higher in the sky.
Beer runs under the light of the moon
Running over the river and through the woods takes on new meaning when grandma’s house is well-stocked with beer. Add a full moon to the mix, and the lunacy definitely sets in.
But that’s the whole point of the Full Moon Hash–a group run held each month that starts and finishes at a bar, sometimes with key refreshment stations along the way.
The Chicago Hash House Harriers, like its brethren groups worldwide, is a running club that drinks beer. On a typical Chicago hash, runners cover around 4 to 5 miles on a zig-zag “trail” that can lead through alleys, over fences and into the local forest preserves. Organizers mark the way haphazardly with arrows made of cardboard or sometimes flour sprinkled on the grass. When the so-called harriers–a term for hunting hounds that chase game–find the trail, they yell “on-on” to the rest of the group and finally reconvene at the designated watering hole.
Other than a one-time scare from a group of moon worshippers, the Full Moon Hash is a pretty typical club run, according to volunteer event manager E. Foertsch, who preferred to go by his club-given name of Horn E.
The Full Moon Hash
7 p.m. Saturday.
A $5 fee covers (some) beer and organization expenses. Call Foertsch for details: 773-248-7737.
Full moon brings Curious performances
The Curious Theatre Branch will host the “Full Moon Vaudeville” in October as part of the company’s Rhinoceros Theatre Festival in Roger’s Park and Glenwood that begins in August. (The exact “Vaudeville” performance date is not yet scheduled.) The hipster-meets-folksy variety show turns the expected on its head–funny people tell serious stories, writers sing and singers read, according to Beau O’Reilly, one of the theater’s co-founders.
This year’s mix includes a group of kindergarten teachers performing the songs they sing to their young students, a banjo player reciting a Mark Twain speech and an 11-year-old tap dancer, the show’s only consistent act. “This American Life” host Ira Glass participated in last year’s show. The radio personality, known for his speaking voice, sang.
