The World is About to Witness the Largest Supermoon of the Year
The World is About to Witness the Largest Supermoon of the Year
The full moon on October 17 will be the third and also the largest supermoon of the year, as the Moon will be closest to Earth.
On October 17, the Moon will be full at 7:26 AM US time. Eleven hours prior, the Moon will reach perigee, the closest point to Earth at a distance of 357,174 km, according to Space. A supermoon occurs due to the elliptical orbit of the Moon. When the Moon aligns with the Earth and the Sun at its closest point (perigee), it appears 14% larger and 30% brighter than a normal full moon.
Dr. Fred Espenak, an astrophysicist and eclipse expert who formerly worked at NASA, explained that a full moon occurs when the Moon is within 90% of its closest distance to Earth. Espenak compiled a list of all supermoons happening in the 21st century. According to him, there are four supermoons in 2024, occurring in August, September, October, and November. However, the supermoon this week is the result of the full moon being at perigee.
Conversely, on March 14, 2025, the full moon will coincide with apogee, the farthest point from Earth. On that day, the Moon will be around 50,000 km farther away and will appear about 14% smaller, earning it the nickname "mini-moon."
Native Americans call the October full moon the Hunter's Moon. As the leaves fall and the deer grow fat, it marks the time for hunting. With harvested fields, hunters can easily spot wildlife coming out to feed and catch them.
The next full moon will be on November 15. Also known as the Beaver Moon, it will be the last supermoon of 2024.
