The first of the four supermoons of 2024 will be visible in the sky from August 19, offering one of the best views of the natural satellite.
Stargazers will be able to see when the full moon comes a little closer to Earth than usual, making it appear slightly larger and brighter in the night sky.
“I like to think of the supermoon as a good excuse to start looking at the Moon more regularly.”said Noah Petro, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project scientist.
The August supermoon kicks off a series of lunar spectacles until the end of the year, including a second supermoon in September, accompanied by a partial lunar eclipse (which will be visible in Puerto Rico), a third supermoon in October that will also be the closest to Earth this year, and the fourth supermoon in November.
What makes a moon “super”?
A supermoon occurs when a full lunar phase is synchronized with a particularly close orbit around the Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the constant shifting of the Moon’s oval orbit.
A supermoon is not larger, but it can appear that way, although scientists say the difference is barely noticeable.
“Unless you have seen a lot of full moons or compare them in pictures, it is difficult to tell the difference, but people should try.”Petro said in an email.
How many supermoons will there be this year?
There will be four supermoons this year.
The first will be 224,917 miles away from Earth. The next will be nearly 2,786 miles closer from the evening of September 17 into the next morning. A partial lunar eclipse will also occur that night, visible across much of the Americas, Africa and Europe when the Earth’s shadow falls across the Moon, resembling a tiny bite.
October’s supermoon will be the closest of the year, at 222,055 miles from Earth, followed by November’s supermoon, at a distance of 224,853 miles.