Why Friday the 13th is unlucky and spooky?

New Delhi, September 13: Have you checked the date today, its Friday the 13th and for many it means the day which brings bad luck.

Are you afraid that all bad things or sinister things will happen today? Why is this day considered so unlucky in western culture?

Know why people are afraid of Friday the 13th

• This strange and irrational fear starts with number 13, scientifically it is called triskaidekaphobia and superstition around the Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriphobia. In Greek language the word Paraskevi means Friday and dekatreis means thirteen.
• It is said that the superstition around this day may have first occurred in the Middle Ages. The story is related to Jesus' last supper and crucifixion in which there we're 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on the 13th Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before this death on Good Friday.
• Even today it is considered unlucky to have 13 people sitting for dinner.
• For centuries Friday in western culture is considered the unluckiest day of the week.
• It is the combination of Friday and the number 13 as a day is especially considered as bad luck, however this superstition has been more seen in last century.

Harvest Moon

This years Friday the 13th has one more additional angle which is a bit spooky. Today we will see the a dramatic full moon which is the so-called Harvest Moon. It's a rare full moon sighting that will appear in the sky and will be the first time in almost 20 years that it will coincide.

Last time when a full moon had occurred on Friday the 13th was back in 2000 in October.

A harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox (when the length of day and night are the same), characterized by its orange colour. This means, it typically coincides with the September full moon but it can occasionally occur around the October full moon as well.

With Harvest Moon coinciding with Friday the 13th, it is considered as truly bad omen and many will not undertaking be any travelling or any sort of important activity.