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    • What you need to know about the October 2024 phenomenon
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    What you need to know about the October 2024 phenomenon

    Vaseline Posted on

    The first full moon of autumn – also one of this year’s four ‘supermoons’ – rises in the eastern sky today. The Hunter’s Moon is the first full moon after September’s autumnal equinox-adjacent Harvest Moon. While the Hunter’s moon will reach its brightest point at 7:26 a.m. ET, the moon will be below the horizon. The Old Farmer’s Almanac advises waiting “until sunset to see it rise and take its place in the sky.”

    The names of full moons are derived from the almanac, a reference work regularly published since the 18th century. The almanac, in turn, cites traditions from Native Americans, colonial America, and other North American-centric sources that have been passed down from generation to generation. October’s Hunter’s Moon was so named for the time of year when hunters began gathering game, such as deer, to store for the cold winter months. Game animals are usually fattened to prepare for the season.

    The earliest mention of “hunter’s moon” was in 1710 in the Oxford English Dictionary.

    The next full moon – the Beaver Moon – will occur on November 15.

    More: Keep your eyes skyward: Hunter’s super moon will rise soon

    Moon terms: Your guide to full moons for 2024: supermoons, solstices, equinoxes and more

    A look at moon phases

    The full moon falls in the middle of the lunar cycle when the Earth is directly between the sun and the moon. The moon takes about 30 days to revolve around the Earth, which is the full lunar cycle.

    What is a supermoon?

    When the moon’s orbit brings it closer to Earth than normal, the cosmic combo is called a supermoon. A supermoon occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth when the moon is full. This happens when the full moon falls at perigee – the point closest to Earth in its orbit. Perigee is when the moon is 220,000 miles from Earth and appears larger and brighter than a normal full moon.

    When the moon reaches its zenith, it is at its furthest from Earth, a distance of 250,000 miles. If a full moon occurs while the moon is at its zenith, it is called a micromoon.

    Contributions: Doyle Rice

    SOURCES USA TODAY reporting; The old farmer’s almanac

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