Tag Archives: planetary science

Later this week: Biggest supermoon of the year

This Thursday we’ll have a chance to see “Hunter’s Moon,” the biggest supermoon of the year. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the October full moon will be the “biggest and brightest” supermoon of the year.

The supermoon will happen on Thursday, October 17, reaching peak illumination at 7:26 a.m.  “It will be below the horizon, so wait until sunset to watch it rise and take its place in the sky,” the Farmer’s Almanac states.

The Farmer’s Almanac explains that the name most likely originates from the fact that the October full moon was a signal for hunters to prepare for winter by going hunting to stock up on food.

According to NASA: “The next full Moon will be Thursday morning, Oct. 17, 2024, at 7:26 a.m. EDT. This will be late Wednesday night for the International Date Line West time zone and early Friday morning from New Zealand Time eastwards to the International Date Line. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Tuesday evening through Friday morning.”

You can read more about the supermoon on NASA’s website here.

Happy viewing!

DCG