ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – The moon will look 30% brighter and 15% bigger Oct. 17 as the third of four consecutive supermoons occurs.
Supermoon refers to the full moon that is in the 90% perigree, or the closest phase to the Earth. We have about three to four a year, and they happen consecutively. This is due to the elliptical rather than round nature of the moon’s orbit around the Earth.
Tonight’s moon will be the closest of the 4 supermoons, as it will be 222,056 miles away from earth. This isn’t record-breaking by any means, as the moon was at a distance of 221,494 miles away in January 1948, and in November 2034 it will be even closer at 221,485 miles away.
To put how close that is in perspective, we have to talk about when the moon is at its furthest point, or the apogee. The moon’s apogee is around 251,000 miles away, which is 12% further away than tonight’s moon position.
Tonight‘s full moon is referred to as the hunter’s moon as it is the first full moon following the autumn equinox. We get the name from the indigenous people, as they benefited from the brightness of the moon as hunters prepared for long winters by using the moonlight to hunt deer.
We have the fourth and final supermoon of 2024 on Nov. 15, but it won’t be as close as tonight’s.
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