length/ Astronomy enthusiasts around the world are preparing to welcome the third of four supermoons in a row, the biggest and brightest of the year.
The full moon will appear at dusk and set at dawn later this week, on the morning of Thursday, October 17, at 4:26am GMT.
NASA says that the Moon’s orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle, but an ellipse, which causes the distance between the Moon and the Earth to vary from about 226,000 miles to 251,000 miles.
The Space website says the Moon’s average distance from Earth is 239,000 miles, but the Hunter Moon comes very close at about 357,364 km (222,056 miles) from Earth.
A supermoon is a type of full moon that can appear up to 14% larger than a full moon at its furthest point from Earth, and 30% brighter than a normal full moon during the months of the year. This is because it is located at its closest point to Earth, known as perigee, according to NASA.
The full moon will be in the constellation of Pisces, and will appear bright and full on the day before and the day after the full moon.
As it rises in the sky, the moon will be about halfway between Saturn (upper right of the moon) and Jupiter (lower left).
The most common name for October’s full moon is the “Hunter’s Moon” because its appearance was a sign for hunters to prepare for the coming winter, according to Almanac.com. Also known as the moon of the fallen leaf and the blood moon.
The Hunter’s Moon is considered to be the first full moon of the fall this year, since the autumnal equinox occurred on Sunday, September 22, that is, shortly after the appearance of the Harvest Moon on September 17.
The next full moon will occur on November 15th. Known as The Beaver Moon, or Frost Moon, this will be the last supermoon of 2024.
