Rare All Hallows’ Eve Moonrise over Deeds Carillon

A full moon rising next to Dayton’s bell tower on an autumn evening which coincides with Halloween.
On 31 Oct 2020 the Miami Valley witnessed a rare All Hallows Eve full moon The last time a full moon fell on Halloween was in 1944 just two years after Deeds Carillon was built This full moon follows the 1 October Harvest moon also making this a blue moon the second full moon in a month and a Hunters Moon the first full moon following the Harvest Moon The next full moon on Halloween will occur in 2039 making this a special event

Rare All Hallows’ Eve Moonrise

The Story:   On 31 Oct 2020, the Miami Valley witnessed a rare All Hallows’ Eve full moon.  The Farmers Almanac reports, the last time a full moon fell on Halloween in Dayton, Ohio, was in 1944, just two years after Deeds Carillon was built.  This full moon follows the 1 October Harvest moon also making this a blue moon (the second full moon in a month) and a Hunter’s Moon (the first full moon following the Harvest Moon).  The next full moon on Halloween will occur in 2039, making this a special event.

The Rest of the Story: 

One of Dayton’s iconic scenes lies with the Deeds Carillon.  The belltower’s names sake lies with the famous Daytonian, Colonel Edward Deeds.  He was an industrialist and innovator whose impact is still found throughout the Miami Valley.  The tower was completed in 1942 and each of its 23 bells represented a family member.  With repairs and upgrades, the carillon now holds 57 bells and resides on the National Register of Historic Places. 

As a landscape photographer, I’ve learned not all plants reach their peak autumn color on the same day every year.  The seasonal variations lie in the varying rain amounts and temperature levels that either nurture or stress the local trees.  Regardless, I can attest that 31 October 2020 was one of the prettiest fall days I’ve experienced in the Miami Valley.  On this autumn day over Carillon Historical Park, the leaves were so vibrant they seem to be glowing.  Here are two more scenes that capture that daytime glow. 

Rare Halloween Blue Hunter’s Moon in 2020

The Farmer Almanac shares that full moons normally occur on the same date every 19 years.  Astronomers call the frequency the Metonic Cycle which has a daylong window of accuracy.  In fact, this 19-year cycle produced a Halloween blue moon in 1925 and 1944.  However, due to slight variations in the Moon’s orbital period, the full moons in 1963, 1982, and 2001 occurred on 1 November.  In 2020, the lunar cycle returned to normal making this a rare event. 

Sugarcreek Photography Gallery

With the release of this image, I have a 20 x 30-inch framed giclee canvas print hanging in the Sugarcreek Photography Gallery!  It hangs next to additional prints of the iconic tower. One is the Carillon Tree of Light and the second, is the Deeds Carillon at Golden Hour on a summer evening. 

If you’d like to see more local art, check out my other Carillon Historical Park prints from my website.