<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2cxs5z_0wBBrERy00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2cxs5z_0wBBrERy00" width="1280" height="853" ></figure><p><b>STARGAZERS get to see a Full Moon roughly every 29.5 days – that's the time it takes to complete one lunar phase cycle.</b></p><p>A Full Moon is visible when it's on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun.</p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>And that means it's when skywatchers on the ground can see the Moon at its best and brightest.</p><h2>When is the next Full Moon?</h2><p>You'll get the opportunity to see a <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/tech/3329348/what-does-full-moon-mean-july-2021/">Full Moon</a> regularly throughout the year.</p><p>They arrive roughly every 29.5 days, which means you end up with about 12 Full Moons every calendar year.</p><p>With the usual pattern of about once every 29.5 days, Earth sees around 12 Full Moon's each year.</p><p>But on some years, a 13th is squeezed in. That happened in 2023, but not in 2024.</p><p>Each Full Moon is given a special name.</p><p>Here's the dates to look out for in 2024:</p><ul><li>January 25 - Wolf Moon</li><li>February 24 - <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/tech/4689742/december-full-moon-cold/">Snow Moon</a></li><li>March 25 - Worm Moon</li><li>April 23 - <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/tech-old/2639733/what-pink-moon-april/">Pink Moon</a></li><li>May 23 - Flower Moon</li><li>June 21 - <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/tech-old/939053/strawberry-moon-lunar-event-tonight/">Strawberry Moon</a></li><li>July 21 - <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/3336456/buck-moon-spiritual-meaning-astrology-july-2021/">Buck Moon</a></li><li>August 19 - Sturgeon Moon</li><li>September 17 - Harvest Moon / Corn Moon</li><li>October 17 - Hunter's Moon</li><li>November 15 - Beaver Moon</li><li>December 15 - Cold Moon</li></ul><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p>Four of this year's moons are classed as Super Moons, because they appear even bigger in the night sky.</p><p>They're a great opportunity to see the Moon at its very best.</p><p>The 2024 Super Moons are:</p><ul><li>August 19</li><li>September 17</li><li>October 17</li><li>November 15</li></ul><h2>When is the best time to see a Full Moon?</h2><p>As with any Moon, the best time is at night.</p><p>An area with little light pollution from the ground makes it even better.</p><p>And be sure to check the weather forecast so no pesky clouds block your view.</p><h2>The Moon – our closest neighbour explained</h2><p><b>Here's what you need to know...</b></p><ul><li>The Moon is a natural satellite – a space-faring body that orbits a planet</li><li>It's Earth's only natural satellite, and is the fifth biggest in the Solar System</li><li>The Moon measures 2,158 miles across, roughly 0.27 times the diameter of Earth</li><li>Temperatures on the Moon range from minus 173 degrees Celcius to 260 degrees Celcius</li><li>Experts assumed the Moon was another planet, until Nicolaus Copernicus outlined his theory about our Solar System in 1543</li><li>It was eventually assigned to a "class" after Galileo discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610</li><li>The Moon is believed to have formed around 4.51billion years ago</li><li>The strength of its gravitational field is about a sixth of Earth's gravity</li><li>Earth and the Moon have "synchronous rotation", which means we always see the same side of the Moon – hence the phrase "dark side of the Moon"</li><li>The Moon's surface is actually dark, but appears bright in the sky due to its reflective ground</li><li>During a solar eclipse, the Moon covers the Sun almost completely. Both objects appear a similar size in the sky because the Sun is both 400 times larger and farther</li><li>The first spacecraft to reach the Moon was in 1959, as part of the Soviet Union's Lunar program</li><li>The first manned orbital mission was Nasa's Apollo 8 in 1968</li><li>And the first manned lunar landing was in 1969, as part of the Apollo 11 mission</li></ul><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><h2>What is a Super Moon?</h2><p>A <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/tech/647840/super-moon-meaning-dates/">Super Moon</a> is relatively rare, occurring just a few times a year.</p><p>It happens because of a combination of two different astronomical effects.</p><p>This is when a new or Full Moon coincides with the moon's closet point to Earth in its monthly orbit (known officially as perigee).</p><p>A Moon has to come within 90 per cent of its closest approach to Earth to be formally defined as a super moon. </p><p><b>We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech &amp; Science team? Email us at</b> <a href="mailto:tech@thesun.co.uk">tech@the-sun.co.uk</a></p></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

STARGAZERS get to see a Full Moon roughly every 29.5 days – that's the time it takes to complete one lunar phase cycle. A Full Moon is visible when it's on the opposite side of the Earth to the Sun. And that means it's when skywatchers on the ground...