October has been a month full of astronomical phenomena. After the appearance of yet another aurora borealis in the skies over Portugal and the “comet of the century”, it‘s now the turn of the lunar satellite to take the spotlight once again. The Hunter’s Supermoon, the brightest of 2024, is coming .
According to the specialized website “Star Walk“, October’s full moon is listed in former NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak’s table of supermoons, and is also included in Richard Nolle’s list (the person responsible for using the term “supermoon”).
Why is this the biggest moon?
According to the aforementioned source, this full moon, visible from Thursday, October 17, is the biggest of 2024.
This is because the moon will come as close to the Earth as possible that year. At perigee, the distance between them will be 357,364 km (for comparison, the average distance between the Earth and the Moon is 384,400 km),” reads the “Star Walk”website.
Why is it called ‘Hunter’?
It is thought that the name of this supermoon derives from the time of year when it occurs. Historically, at this time, the farmers had already finished harvesting, leaving the fields clear. Thus, the full moon illuminated the landscape, making it easier for hunters to see the animals.
When will the next Supermoon appear?
Forecasts indicate that there will be another Supermoon on November 15, the Beaver Moon. It really will be the last one of the year!