The first supermoon of the year is approaching. Here's what to know
[October 06, 2025]
NEW YORK (AP) — The moon will appear slightly larger and brighter
Monday night during what's known as a supermoon.
October's supermoon is the first of three this year. It happens when a
full moon is closer to Earth in its orbit. That makes the moon look up
to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year,
according to NASA. The subtle difference happens a few times a year,
sometimes coinciding with other astronomical events such as lunar
eclipses.
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The full moon rises in the over a beer sign in the outfield at Kauffman
Stadium during a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the
Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP
Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) |
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“It's not really very unusual,” said Derrick Pitts, chief
astronomer with the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
Everyone in the world can see a supermoon without special
equipment if clear skies permit. But the difference can be tough
to discern, especially if people haven’t observed the regular
moon on the nights leading up.
“If you go out and just look at the moon when it’s very high in
the sky, there is nothing relative to it to give you an idea of
how big it looks,” Pitts said.
In the latest viewing, the moon will pass within about 224,600
miles (361,459 kilometers) of Earth. The closest supermoon of
the year is slated for November, followed by another in
December.
The spectacles continue in 2026 with two lunar eclipses: a total
eclipse across much of North America, Asia and Australia in
March, and a partial one in August across the Americas, Africa
and Europe.
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