The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival Sep 13, 2019

The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival

Shenzhen, China—seen in our photo today—is a drone manufacturing hub. So, when this city celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival in 2018, a synchronized fleet of drones took to the skies over Shenzhen Talent Park and lit up in a crescent-moon shape to celebrate the lunar holiday. At other times in the performance, the drones created the shape of Chinese characters reading "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!" So, what is the Mid-Autumn Festival? It’s a harvest celebration that’s been observed by Chinese and other Asian peoples for thousands of years. The date of the celebration changes each year on our Gregorian calendar, falling on the first full moon of the harvest season, which arrives today. One major feature of the lunar holiday? A sweet pastry called "mooncake." Let it be known that we fully embrace any holiday that includes cake.

© Liang Weiming/VCG via Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Sep 13, 2018They’re grrrape!
Sep 13, 2020Super sandy Sweet 16
Sep 13, 2021Sand, sun, and sk8ers
Sep 13, 2022Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Sep 13, 2023Hemakuta Hill, Hampi, India
Sep 13, 2024Point Reyes National Seashore, California
Sep 13, 2025Point Reyes National Seashore in California

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 2, 2021Did it see its shadow?
Apr 11, 2025Tulips, Netherlands
Oct 3, 2020In the belly of Fat Bear Week
Oct 10, 2018Space is for everyone
Jun 23, 2024Dhaka, Bangladesh
Jul 13, 2019Batten down the hatches
Aug 23, 2021A little blue
Jan 7, 2023Yarn for Distaff Day
Jun 13, 2019A unique elephant encounter in Nantes
Dec 26, 2024Boxing Day
May 21, 2021Whoopin it up!
Apr 3, 2025National Find a Rainbow Day
Jan 13, 2023Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
Apr 16, 2018The Bazaruto Archipelago of Mozambique
Apr 16, 2025Anniversary of Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah
May 10, 2023Cordouan Lighthouse, France
Aug 27, 2018Tennis in the park
Oct 20, 2020Reflecting on fall
Aug 22, 2023Amphitheatre of El Jem, Tunisia
Jun 25, 2023Al-Khazneh in Petra, Jordan
Nov 5, 2025Peña Roya beech forest, Moncayo Natural Park, Aragon, Spain
May 29, 2019A ‘circus of chaos’ for Stravinsky
Aug 23, 2024Prasat Phanom Rung temple ruins, Thailand
May 20, 2023World Bee Day
Jan 19, 2026Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jun 2, 2020Falling for the Canadian Rockies
Mar 15, 2018The Colosseum of Rome, Italy
Sep 15, 2018A Latino art exhibition in Denver
Apr 21, 2021Exploring the Pearl of the Atlantic
Jun 24, 2022Cenote near Puerto Aventuras, Mexico