Hunter’s Moon rising this week will be brightest Supermoon of the year
October’s full Moon is often known as the Hunter’s Moon, and this year’s happens when our celestial neighbor is closest, earning Supermoon status.
The upcoming full Moon happens on Thursday at 7:26 a.m. EDT, according to NASA., The Moon will be below the horizon, so you'll have to wait until after sunset Thursday evening to see it. The good news is that the Moon will appear full from Tuesday evening through Friday morning.
FILE - A helicopter flies in front of the full Hunters Moon as it rises above New York City on October 28, 2023, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
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October’s full Moon is a Supermoon because it happens during perigee, the Moon’s closest distance to Earth.
The Moon reaches its closest distance to Earth on the night of Oct. 16 and becomes a full Moon on the morning of Oct. 17.
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According to NASA’s Gordon Johnston, this is the third of four consecutive Supermoons and will be the brightest, but only by a tiny margin. The next full Moon, known as the Beaver Moon, will also be a Supermoon on Nov. 15.
The Hunter’s Moon happens after September’s Harvest Moon, according to the Farmer’s Almanac, and there have been records of the name dating back to 1710.
Unlike the other full Moon names of the year, the Harvest and Hunter's Moon are named for the time of year instead of associated with the month.