Final answer:
The full moon nearest to the fall equinox is known as the Harvest Moon. Its visibility peaks at midnight, paralleling cultural references such as the behavior of vampires in folklore.
Step-by-step explanation:
The full moon that falls closest to the fall equinox is commonly referred to as the Harvest Moon. This moniker is familiar to both Neil Young, who has a song titled 'Harvest Moon', and to fans of the Japanese media franchise 'Natsume's Book of Friends' (Natsume Yūjin-chō), which features supernatural and seasonal themes that might include such celestial events.
In terms of celestial mechanics, during the full moon phase, the moon is opposite the Sun in the sky, rising at sunset and setting at sunrise.
Its visibility is most striking at midnight, which has been long noted in popular culture including folklore and horror stories, where the behavior of creatures like vampires in literature often mirrors the phases of the moon. Dracula, for example, rises at sunset and is most active at midnight, which corresponds to when the full moon is at its apex.
The moon phases play a crucial role in many cultural aspects. The monthly cycle of the moon, from new moon to full moon and back to crescent, lasts about 29.5 days and has a significant impact on agricultural practices, religious rituals, and folklore. These lunar cycles have structured the concept of a 'month' and influenced the naming of 'Monday' which is literally the 'Moon's day'.