The Moon’s orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle, so it gets closer and farther away as it rotates. When the full Moon is close to Earth in its orbit, a so-called supermoon occurs. According to NASA, this moon appears 14% larger and 30% brighter than the weakest moon of the year.
Taking advantage of the sweet spot in the moon’s elliptical orbit, supermoons occur in groups a few times a year, and Thursday night’s event is the last of three in a row in 2025.
The supermoon can be seen in a clear night sky without any special equipment. But subtle changes may be difficult to detect with the naked eye.
Read more: The supermoon will make it difficult to see the Leonid meteor shower. Here’s your best chance to see
Whether a supermoon or not, the Moon still appears larger when it is close to the horizon, called a lunar illusion. This is a strange visual trick that experts have not yet been able to explain.
“When you have a supermoon, that effect is a little more impressive,” said astronomer William Alston of the University of Hertfordshire.
The tides may be slightly higher during a supermoon because the Moon is closer to Earth, but still, the difference is not very noticeable.
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