If you are a more superstitious person, or even if you aren't, be prepared this weekend. Friday, September, 13th, yes, you read that right, Friday the 13th, also happens to be a FULL MOON this month! The moon, known as the Harvest Moon, will be in its full glory late Friday night for those of us in the Central Time Zone.

This is considered a rare Harvest Moon, as we don't usually see a full moon happen on a Friday the 13th, the last time that happened was in October of 2000, and the next one won't be seen until August 13, 2049.

This led to finding out why we consider Friday the 13th such an ominous day. It has its roots in early Christian history, starting with the number 13. According to The History Channel:

According to biblical tradition, 13 guests attended the Last Supper, held on Maundy Thursday, including Jesus and his 12 apostles (one of whom, Judas, betrayed him). The next day, of course, was Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.

The seating arrangement at the Last Supper is believed to have given rise to a longstanding Christian superstition that having 13 guests at a table was a bad omen—specifically, that it was courting death.

Though Friday’s negative associations are weaker, some have suggested they also have roots in Christian tradition: Just as Jesus was crucified on a Friday, Friday was also said to be the day Eve gave Adam the fateful apple from the Tree of Knowledge, as well as the day Cain killed his brother, Abel.

There are also several superstitions regarding a full moon, and from what I could find, the full moon can bring good luck. However, there are occasions when the full moon can bring bad luck, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac:

  • It is unlucky to have a full Moon on Sunday.

  • It is unlucky to see the first sliver of a new Moon through a window; you’ll break a dish.

  • And it’s certainly unlucky to sleep in the moonlight, or worse, be born in the moonlight!

We have all heard that the moon phases can affect behavior, and scientists have studied that claim. There has been no study done that directly correlates the moon cycle and a person's behavior. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that this may be happening. According to the Farmer's Almanac;

the belief has remained strong due to “confirmation bias,” the idea that people favor information that supports their preconceived notions. In other words, if you expect people to act strangely during a full Moon, every strange behavior you encounter during a full Moon reinforces that belief.

Ask anyone who works in healthcare, with children (especially those who have Autism), members of law enforcement, they will most likely tell you that the "Full Moon Effect" is real and they dread the week leading up to it. On a personal note, I have a niece, who was born on a Friday the 13th, under a full moon. So, it seems that the full moon may have caused my sister to go into labor.

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