Hunter's Supermoon will appear tonight - here's the best way to see it

Topline

The moon is expected to reach its closest point to Earth tonight, leading to what experts say will be the largest supermoon this year, an unofficial astronomical phenomenon that occurs up to four times a year.

A supermoon occurs up to four times a year when the moon reaches its closest point to Earth.

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Important facts

A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon reaching its greatest distance from Earth in its 27-day orbit – a point called perigee, about 226,000 miles away. However, NASA does not recognize this as an official astronomical term.

A full moon is expected to reach perigee on Thursday evening, moving to about 222,000 miles from Earth, after first appearing as a supermoon on Wednesday, according to forecasts by Fred Espenak, a former NASA astrophysicist.

There were two more supermoons this year, on August 19th and September 18th, and another is predicted for November 15th. However, the moon was not as close to Earth and is not expected to be as close to Earth as it was this week.

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When can I see the supermoon?

According to Espenak's forecast, the moon is expected to reach its closest point to Earth around 11:26 p.m. EDT, becoming about 30% brighter and appearing 14% larger than the average full moon.

How can I see the supermoon?

According to NASA, the supermoon will be visible across Earth regardless of light pollution, although it is better to be in areas without clouds. According to the National Weather Service, some states are likely to see cloudy skies Thursday evening, including Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Surprising fact

October's full moon is also known as the “Hunter's Moon” because it marks the start of hunting season and signals hunters to prepare for colder conditions, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The “Hunter’s Moon” follows the “Harvest Moon,” a lunar phase that signals to harvesters the best time to harvest their crops.