This week, observatories can experience the third in a series of four consecutive supermoons: a full moon that occurs near the closest point in its orbit around Earth. As you take in the splendor of Earth’s natural satellite, know that even among supermoons, this one is extra special.

October’s full moon is the closest supermoon of the year, at a distance of about 350,055 kilometers from Earth. September’s full moon was right behind it, at a distance of 360,000 kilometers. Although each supermoon may appear larger and brighter than normal, its proximity adds to its effect.

The exact moment of the full moon is Thursday, October 17 at 7:26 a.m. Eastern Time. But our natural satellite will appear fully illuminated, treating skywatchers to a dazzling view Wednesday through Friday morning, NASA’s Gordon Johnston said.

Here’s what you need to know about the breathtaking ‘Super Hunter’s Moon’.

What is a supermoon?

As the moon orbits the Earth, it charts an elliptical path, meaning that sometimes it is a little further away from our planet and sometimes a little closer. The most distant point from the moon in its orbit is called the apogee, and the closest point – which the moon approaches during a supermoon – is called the perigee. In general, a supermoon refers to a full moon within at least 90 percent of perigee.

The moon doesn’t come close enough to have a dramatic effect on us; the difference between the supermoon tides and the normal full moon tides is an “almost negligible” few centimeters, according to Royal Museums Greenwich. Still, it can make the moon extra dazzling.

Compared to a regular full moon, a supermoon appears 7 percent larger in the sky. And compared to a smaller-than-usual “micromoon” at peak, a supermoon appears 14 percent larger. If you look at a side-by-side image comparison, this becomes clear.

In practice, however, the change is not that dramatic. Even an observer who is highly attuned to the waxing and waning of the moon may not notice that a supermoon appears larger than a standard full moon.

But what might stand out is the clarity. A supermoon appears ‘noticeably brighter’ than the average full moon, writes EarthSky‘s Marcy Curran. These closer-than-normal full moons can be 16 percent brighter than normal.

When is the next supermoon?

After this week’s supermoon, sky watchers eager to see another moon don’t have to wait long: November’s full moon is another supermoon, the last of the year.

There will be three supermoons in 2025, one per month in October, November and December. A supermoon in January 2026 will conclude that streak of four large and bright full moons.

Supermoons will continue to occur periodically; and they always occur in groups. But next time we get four in a row, after the series starting next year, that won’t be until 2040.

What is a hunter’s moon?

Last month’s Full Moon, which coincided with a partial lunar eclipse, was known as the Harvest Moon. It was given that name because it was the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox this year, on September 22.

Whichever full moon immediately follows the Harvest Moon is in turn known as the Hunter’s Moon, a term that first appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1710.

“Since fields had recently been cleared under the Harvest Moon, hunters could easily spot deer and other animals that had come out to forage for leftovers,” writes Catherine Boeckmann for the Old farmer’s almanac. “In addition, foxes and wolves would also hunt these animals.”

Other names for the event include the Dying Grass Moon, the Travel Moon and the Sanguine or Blood Moon. These names, according to NASA, can be traced back to the Algonquin tribes in what is now the northeastern United States.

What else is there to see in the sky?

Even though the supermoon is a stunning phenomenon, its glow in the sky can obscure other celestial sights.

“Most astronomers hate the full moon because its bright light hinders viewing of other objects,” Bill Cooke, head of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, tells Marcia Dunn of the Associated Press. “So it’s a little hard for us to wax poetic about it, even though it’s the biggest supermoon of 2024.”

Despite the moonlight, you should still be able to make out different planets. Four will be visible in the evening hours – Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars – with the last, Mars, rising at 11:22 PM Eastern Time, according to Space.comby Jesse Emspak.

And don’t forget to look west at twilight to catch a glimpse of the passing comet A3, nicknamed Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which is on its way out of our solar system. As the month progresses, the comet will gradually appear higher in the sky, but it will also become fainter. The moonlight may make its tail less visible than usual this week, but it will still be a beautiful sight, Cooke told the AP. If the comet ever returns, astronomers say it won’t happen for another 80,000 years.