October full moon:

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The next full moon will rise on October 17th and it is quite a treat! This month’s full moon is the third consecutive Supermoon and it will be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. Supermoons occur when the moon is closest to Earth on its oval orbit (at perigee). The first two Supermoons of 2024 occurred in August and September, but this month will be the closest the moon will be to the Earth all year, making it appear even larger.

Supermoon captured from my backyardPhoto byJami Lynn (Author)

The Hunters Moon Supermoon:

The October full moon is known as the Hunter's Moon. Throughout history, the full Hunters moon served as a signal for hunters to begin their preparations for the long winter season. The full supermoon will rise on October 17th and will reach peak illumination at 7:26 am Eastern time. It will be below the horizon at that time so the best time to observe it will be just after sunset. Though it will be fully illuminated on the 17th, photographers and stargazers can enjoy good viewing and photographs from October 16th-18th when it will still appear full.

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Can the Supermoon affect the tides?

Yes, the Earth and Moon exert a gravitational pull on each other. The moon pulls more strongly on Earth when it's closer to Earth (at perigee) and has less of an effect when it's further away (at apogee). So a supermoon can cause exceptionally large ocean tides.

full moon rising behind the trees captured in my backyardPhoto byJami Lynn (Author)

Moon Facts:

• The moon is around 1080 miles wide.
• The moon is slowly moving away from Earth, about an inch further away each year.
• The moon is hot when it's daylight. How hot? Over the boiling point, reaching 260° Fahrenheit.
• A single day on the moon lasts 29.5 Earth days.
• This means that a day of 260° Fahrenheit temperatures on the moon is 29.5 Earth days long.

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The first full moon of Autumn:

As Autumn sets in the weather is beginning to cool in many places. May you enjoy the first full moon of the fall season! Perhaps a campfire under the night sky would be a great way to enjoy the closest supermoon of the year. If you miss it, our fourth consecutive and final supermoon of the year will rise in November. The moon will start to move further away in the following months. Whether near or far, the full moon is always a beautiful sight to see.

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