IF THIS BE BAD LUCK, MAKE THE MOST OF IT.

A hazardous day for triskadekaphobics?

For people who associate bad luck with Friday the 13th, it's rare for a full moon to fall on that superstitious day. This month people in the Eastern Time Zone won't get a full moon until early Saturday, Sept. 14. But a full moon will occur for the rest of the United States on the 13th.

I showed up under a full moon on a Friday the Thirteenth, that was a long night for my mom. Thanks for your patience!

This time of year, orbital mechanics give you a slightly longer run of near-full moons.

Because of the tilt of the Earth, the path of the moon through the night sky will be as close to the horizon as it gets all year, moving more horizontally and rising sooner than normal each night. On average the moon rises around 50 minutes later each night than the night before, but near the fall equinox, the moon rises less than 30 minutes later from night to night.

Since a quick glance at the moon a day or two before and after appears as if it's full, Wednesday through Sunday will seem like a bright, glowing parade of full moons, said Bob Bonadurer, director of the Milwaukee Public Museum's Daniel M. Soref National Geographic Dome Theater & Planetarium.

"It's more of that effect of five full moons in a row that results from the moon rising more quickly than usual. It just feels and looks like five full moons in a row," said Bonadurer.

It's also Oktoberfest season.