First Supermoon of the Year Lights Up the Sky: Here’s When and How to Watch

A supermoon is set to make its first appearance of the year in August, illuminating the night sky. On August 19, the Moon will appear larger and brighter than a typical full moon due to its close proximity to Earth, known as perigee, coinciding with the full moon phase. This supermoon will occur at 2:26 PM ET, or 11:56 PM IST in India, marking the first supermoon of the year.

 

Four Supermoons in 2024

Fred Espanak, a former NASA astrophysicist and eclipse expert, has indicated that there will be four supermoons in 2024. These supermoons are scheduled for August, September, October, and November. According to Espanak, a supermoon occurs when the Moon reaches 90 percent of its closest approach to Earth. The closest supermoon of 2024 will occur on October 17 at 7:26 AM ET, or 4:56 PM IST. Typically, three to four supermoons are observed each year.

The term “supermoon” has been in use among researchers and scientists for about four decades, but it gained significant public attention in 2016 when astronomers observed three consecutive supermoons.

 

Why Do Supermoons Occur?

The Moon orbits Earth in an elliptical path, with an average distance of approximately 382,900 km. Gravitational influences from the Sun, Earth, and other planets cause the Moon’s apogee (farthest point) and perigee (closest point) distances to vary each month. According to NASA’s Noah Petro, these gravitational forces result in an irregular lunar orbit.

A supermoon occurs when the Moon is at its closest point in its 27-day orbit around Earth and is fully illuminated by the Sun, which happens roughly every 29.5 days. This specific alignment is rare, occurring only a few times a year when the orientation of the Moon’s orbit changes.

During a supermoon, the Moon can appear up to 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than usual, although this difference is not easily noticeable to the naked eye.