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Saturday December 21, 2024

Supermoon 2023 finale: Where to feast your eyes on September harvest moon

A supermoon is 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year

By Web Desk
September 28, 2023
This illustration depicts a harvest supermoon. — Social media @fernandoastasioavila
This illustration depicts a harvest supermoon. — Social media @fernandoastasioavila

A harvest supermoon is set to take over the sky next week on September 29 and will also be the last supermoon of this year, occurring around the time when farmers in the northern hemisphere get ready to harvest their crops.

A supermoon is a type of full moon that can appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year. That's because it's at its closest point to Earth, called perigee, according to Nasa.

Deep yellow, orange, or crimson hues can be seen in harvest moons, especially when they initially arise over the horizon. The greatest moment to witness the sheer enormity of a supermoon is around moonrise.

Foreground elements like trees and rocks can offer a feeling of scale when the moon is close to the horizon, such as during moonrise.

According to Nasa, this is the time of year when the moon seems to be the largest.

So, right at moonrise, which is around 7:00 pm local time, is the greatest time to witness this year's harvest supermoon. On September 29, you may verify the exact time of moonrise for your area on TimeandDate.

Nasa further informed that a waxing gibbous moon will pass beneath Saturn in the constellation of Aquarius at 11:07 pm on September 26. 3 degrees to the top right of the moon, Saturn will be visible due to its yellowish hue.

According to astropixels.com, a waning, gibbous harvest moon will be visible with Jupiter on October 1-2 at about 11:41 p.m., where the gas giant will be visible 3 degrees below the moon.