Cape Canaveral, Florida – October’s supermoon is set to be the closest and brightest of the year, providing stargazers with a unique double treat as it coincides with a rare comet sighting. This celestial event offers a must-see opportunity for sky watchers.
The third of four supermoons this year, the October supermoon will be located just 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) from Earth, making it appear larger and brighter than the August and September supermoons. The full moon phase will be reached on Thursday, but its brilliance will be on display Wednesday night.
Adding to the excitement, a comet, Comet Chukingshan-Atlas, recently discovered in the Southern Hemisphere, will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere at the same time. While the bright light of the supermoon might wash out some of the comet’s tail, NASA’s Bill Cooke suggests that it’s still worth a glance right after sunset.
Cooke noted that, while astronomers typically aren’t fond of full moons due to the difficulty they pose in observing other celestial objects, this supermoon event is notable for its size and brightness, even if the difference is subtle. “Most astronomers hate the full moon because its bright light interferes with observing other objects. So even though this is the largest supermoon of 2024, it’s hard to wax poetic about it,” Cooke explained.
If you miss this supermoon, don’t worry. The fourth and final supermoon of 2024 is set to rise on November 15th.
A supermoon occurs when the Moon’s elliptical orbit brings it closest to Earth during its full phase, happening three or four times per year. Although the size difference is nearly imperceptible, these moons can appear up to 30% brighter than a typical full moon.
In August, the moon was 224,917 miles (361,970 kilometers) away, and September’s supermoon was 3,000 miles closer. The October supermoon, at its closest distance this year, will be followed by the November supermoon, which will be 224,853 miles (361,867 kilometers) from Earth.
For the keen-eyed observers, the difference in size may be hard to spot, but the change in brightness will certainly stand out.
This surge in lunar brightness comes as countries like the United States ramp up efforts to explore the Moon with landers and astronauts in the coming years.
