ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – The moon will look 30% brighter and 15% bigger on October 17 when the third of four consecutive supermoons occurs.

Supermoon refers to the full moon that is at the 90% perigre, or the phase closest to Earth. We have about three to four a year, and they happen consecutively. This is due to the elliptical rather than circular nature of the moon’s orbit around Earth.

Tonight’s moon will be the closest of the four supermoons, as it is 360,056 kilometers away from Earth. This is by no means a record, as the moon was at a distance of 350,000 kilometers in January 1948, and in November 2034 it will be even closer at a distance of 350,000 kilometers.

To see how close that is in perspective, we need to talk about when the moon is at its farthest point, or apogee. The moon’s zenith is about 250,000 miles away, which is 12% further away than tonight’s moon position.

Tonight’s full moon is called the Hunter’s Moon because it is the first full moon after the autumnal equinox. We get the name from the indigenous people because they took advantage of the moon’s brightness as hunters prepared for long winters by using the moonlight to hunt deer.

We have the fourth and final supermoon of 2024 on November 15, but it won’t be as close as tonight’s.

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