The full ‘Corn Moon’ is set to appear visible in skies across the UK this week and it’s a special celestial event that doesn’t happen every year.
Astronomy lovers up and down the country are in for yet another real treat this week as a spectacular full moon is set to be lighting up skies for the next few days.
It isn’t one you’ll want to miss either as you won’t catch a sighting of it every year.
A full moon occurs when the whole side of the moon facing the Earth is lit up by the sun’s rays, and this year, the Corn Moon also happens to be the last full moon of the summer.
Usually this full moon is also known as the Harvest Moon – should it happen to fall near the Autumn Equinox – but in 2020 however, the equinox falls on Tuesday 22nd September, which means the full moon on 1st October will be called the Harvest Moon instead.
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NASA explains: “The next full Moon will peak after midnight on Wednesday morning, Sept. 2, 2020, appearing “opposite” the Sun (in Earth-based longitude) at 1:22am EDT.
“The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Monday evening through Thursday morning.”
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Why is it called a Corn Moon though?
Well, according to NASA: “The Maine Farmer’s Almanac first published Native American names for the full Moons in the 1930s [and] 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.
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“European names for this full moon are the Fruit Moon, as a number of fruits ripen as the end of summer approaches, and the Barley Moon, from the harvesting and threshing of the barley.”
The full Corn Moon will officially peak at 6.22am on Wednesday morning – when it will position itself directly across from the Sun – but it should be visible all evening.
The best time to catch a glimpse of the moon in the UK is 8.21pm BST.
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There’s a FREE Children in Need event coming to MediaCityUK
Thomas Melia
An all-new and completely free to enjoy Children in Need event is making its way to MediaCityUK later this November, and it’s bringing along some iconic brands.
Everyone’s favourite yellow bear is returning to Manchester to take over MediaCityUK and rename it Pudsey’s Piazza for one night only.
Pudsey Bear is heading down to MediaCityUK and he’s bringing all the best activities, games, famous food, live music and more for four hours of FREE family-oriented fun.
You can expect to see Pudsey and the team alongside a whole host of celebrities, brand partners and lots of friends when Children in Need hosts its celebration later this November.
Some of the brands which have been announced include staple high street bakery Greggs, a collaboration between McDonald’s and its sports counterpart, Fun Football UK.
DJ AG is just one of the special guests preparing to take over MediaCityUK this November for Children in Need (Credit: Supplied)
Also joining the bill is viral TikTok potato-loving duo Spud Bros, who will be serving up their famed jacket potatoes with an array of fillings to choose from inside their recognisable big red van.
Greggs will be bringing a huge double-decker bus to Pudsey’s Piazza at MediaCityUK with treats on hand throughout this evening celebration, as well as interactive games for you to play.
You’ll also be able to catch a glimpse of a replica Red Arrows jet, which will be situated on the piazza all night long courtesy of aerial experts Royal Air Force.
If that wasn’t enough for you, your night will be soundtracked by the one and only viral nomad music maker DJ AG, who’ll be playing out tunes as part of a charity livestream at the bandstand.
MediaCityUK is the home of BBC Children in Need, so it’s only fitting that Pudsey would throw one of his biggest parties yet right here in Greater Manchester.
Pudsey and his friends are transforming MediaCityUK into Pudsey’s Piazza on Friday, 14 November from 4pm to 8pm, and they’re encouraging anyone to come along, especially since it’s FREE.
Featured Images — David Dixon (via Geograph)/Supplied
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Adventurous cat caught taking a train from Yorkshire to Manchester Airport
Daisy Jackson
Train conductors have reunited an adventurous senior cat with her owners after she was caught taking a train all the way to Manchester Airport.
15-year-old Angel was discovered on board an hour-long TransPennine Express service from West Yorkshire to the airport.
The black-and-white moggy had been strolling along the train making friends with passengers on board, following conductor Will Saunders through the carriages.
It turns out Angel is something of a local legend in Brighouse, and has been caught riding rail replacement buses in the past too, as well as making herself at home in the local pub.
On this occasion, she fancied herself a little holiday and hopped on board the 3.55am service from Brighouse to Manchester Airport.
Will kept a close eye on the gorgeous cat all the way to Manchester Airport, where they settled her into a cardboard box at the station.
Will then took Angel home to Stockport for the night to keep her safe, later discovering a phone number on Angel’s collar.
He and his partner then drove Angel all the way back home to Brighouse.
Will Saunders, conductor at TPE, said: “As a cat lover myself, I couldn’t leave her to fend for herself. She was so calm and confident on the train – it was like she’d done it before!
“I’m just glad we could keep her safe and get her back home. She’s clearly a much-loved cat.”
Andrew McClements, Customer Experience & Transformation Director at TPE, added: “Our teams are used to helping customers reach their destinations, but this was definitely one of our more unusual passengers.
“We’re just glad we could make sure this adventurous feline made it home safely.”
Now back where she belongs, Angel’s tale shows that even the most curious traveller can count on TPE to help them land on their paws.
Emily Sergeant -
1st September 2020 
