This week’s supermoon, the fourth and final of the year, promises to be bigger and brighter than usual. It will make its closest approach to Earth on Thursday, coming within about 225,000 miles (361,867 kilometers). The full lunar phase, however, won’t occur until Friday. This supermoon follows the peak of the Taurid meteor shower and precedes the most active phase of the Leonid meteor shower.
The series of supermoons this year began in August, and the October supermoon was the closest, at just 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) away from Earth. The one this week will be slightly farther than October’s, but still much closer than most full moons. The next supermoon won’t occur until 2025 when three will appear beginning in October.
Year’s Last Supermoon to Light Up the Sky This Week, Outshining November’s Meteor ShowersA supermoon is not scientifically defined but rather a popular term describing a full moon that happens to be especially close to Earth. This proximity can make the moon appear brighter and larger in the sky, although the difference in size is often barely noticeable to the naked eye. Supermoons typically occur three or four times a year due to the moon’s elliptical orbit around Earth.
This year’s supermoon series included four events, with varying distances from Earth. In August, the moon was 224,917 miles (361,970 kilometers) away, and in September, it was slightly closer at 222,131 miles (357,486 kilometers). September’s event coincided with a partial lunar eclipse visible across parts of the Americas, Africa, and Europe when Earth’s shadow created a “bite” effect on the moon’s surface.
For most observers, the difference in size between a supermoon and a regular full moon is subtle, but the increase in brightness can be more noticeable. Supermoons can shine up to 30% brighter than usual, making them more striking in the night sky. With increased interest in lunar exploration, the moon’s visibility and significance are drawing more attention than ever.