supermoon | EarthSky

A smaller full moon superimposed on a larger crescent moon.

Is March’s full moon a supermoon?

Posted by Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 4 weeks ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The full moon on March 28, 2021, ranks as the 4th-closest (and therefore 4th-largest and 4th-brightest) of the 12 full moons of 2021. Is it a supermoon? Here’s why experts disagree.

Two grey full moons on top of each other, one a full supermoon (full moon at perigee) overlaid with a micro-moon (full moon at apogee).

Last full supermoon of 2020

Posted by Bruce McClure in Tonight | 12 months ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The May 2020 full moon presents the 3rd in a series of 3 full supermoons. It’s the 3rd-closest, 3rd-largest and 3rd-brightest full moon of this year.

Year’s biggest and brightest supermoon on April 7-8

Posted by Bruce McClure in Tonight | 1 year ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

Watch for the biggest supermoon of the year to shine all night long. It lights up the eastern sky at dusk/nightfall April 7, climbs highest up for the night around midnight and sets in the west around sunrise April 8.

What is a supermoon?

Posted by Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | Human World | 1 year ago

Posted by Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd

A “season” of 3 full moon supermoons will be coming on April 27, May 26 and June 24, 2021, with the May 26 full moon counting as the year’s biggest supermoon. Supermoon-o-mania, here.

March full moon is 2nd-closest of 2020’s 3 full supermoons

Posted by Bruce McClure in Tonight | 1 year ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The whole globe enjoys a full-looking moon on March 8 and 9, 2020. The exact time of full moon falls in daylight on March 9 for clocks in the Americas. It’s the 1st supermoon of 2020 and 2nd-closest full moon this year.

Is this weekend’s full moon a supermoon?

Posted by Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 1 year ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The full moon on February 9, 2020, ranks as the 4th-closest (and therefore the 4th-largest) full moon of 2020, but is it a supermoon?

Year’s closest new supermoon August 30

Posted by Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd in Sky Archive | Tonight | 2 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd

Today – August 30, 2019 – presents the closest new moon of the year, exactly a fortnight (about 2 weeks) before the year’s farthest and smallest full moon on September 14, 2019.

Black Moon supermoon on July 31

Posted by Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd in Sky Archive | Tonight | 2 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd

Don’t listen to people who tell you that supermoons are hype. Supermoons aren’t hype; they’re folklore, like Blue Moons or Black Moons or the beloved Harvest Moons.

Full supermoon at March 2019 equinox

Posted by Bruce McClure in Tonight | 2 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The full moon crests less than 4 hours after the arrival of the March 20, 2019 equinox. It’s the closest coincidence of a full moon with a March equinox between the years 2000 and 2030.

Full moon at perigee side by side with crescent moon at apogee

See it! Photos of 2019’s biggest supermoon

Posted by Eleanor Imster in Astronomy Essentials | Today's Image | 2 years ago

Posted by Eleanor Imster

A selection of photos of the February 18 and 19 full moon – biggest and brightest supermoon of 2019 – from the EarthSky Community.

Year’s biggest supermoon on February 19, 2019

Posted by Bruce McClure in Tonight | 2 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The full moon on February 19, 2019, presents the biggest supermoon of the year.

Will December’s full moon be a supermoon?

Posted by Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 2 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The last of 2018’s 13 full moons falls on December 22. It’s the 3rd-closest full moon in 2018, but is it a supermoon?

How the moon’s orbit makes supermoons

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | 3 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

An explanation of why extra-close perigees and extra-far apogees happen at new and full moons.

Friday the 13th supermoon solar eclipse

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 3 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The 2018 Friday the 13th solar eclipse will be seen mainly over the Southern Ocean, between Australia and Antarctica. The southeastern Australia coast will see a very skimpy partial eclipse on Friday afternoon. Eclipse times for that region here.

2018’s closest new supermoon on July 13

Posted by Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 3 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The closest new moon of 2018 – a supermoon – comes on July 13. You won’t see it, but Earth’s oceans will feel it. Then, 2 weeks later, we have the year’s farthest full moon.

June new moon is a supermoon

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 3 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The June 13 new moon is the 1st in a series of 3 new moon supermoons. The other 2 will fall on July 13 and August 11, 2018.

2018’s New Year’s supermoon

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Human World | Today's Image | 3 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

It was a great way to start 2018! The year started with a full moon that happened also to be the year’s closest and brightest supermoon.

Year’s closest supermoon on January 1-2

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 3 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

Enjoy the “most super” supermoon of the year on the night of January 1-2, 2018, as it lights up the nighttime from dusk to dawn.

Super effect on us from supermoons?

Posted by Larry Sessions in Astronomy Essentials | Human World | Space | 3 years ago

Posted by Larry Sessions

A supermoon’s extra pull of gravity creates higher-than-usual tides. But the moon’s pull doesn’t affect a human body nearly as powerfully as it does an ocean.

See it! December’s full supermoon

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Human World | Today's Image | 3 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

December’s full supermoon was the closest and brightest full moon of 2017. Wonderful photos here from the EarthSky community around the world.

Full supermoon on December 3

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 3 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The December 3, 2017 full moon is 2017’s only supermoon. The two full moons in January 2018 – on January 2 and 31 – will also count as supermoons.

2017’s closest supermoon is May 25

Posted by Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 4 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

For the 1st time since 2009, a new moon – not a full moon – will be the closest and largest supermoon of a year.

Why you won’t see the new supermoon

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 4 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

In case you haven’t heard, the closest supermoon of 2017 is a new moon – not a full moon. Here’s why you won’t see it.

First supermoon of 2017 on April 26

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 4 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The April 26, 2017 supermoon isn’t a full moon. Instead, it’s a new moon. You won’t see it, but Earth’s oceans will feel its effects.

Supermoon photos from around the world

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Today's Image | 4 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

EarthSky received many photos of the bright and beautiful supermoon. We loved them all and thank you all! See editors’ favorites here.

Keep watching the supermoon

Posted by Bruce McClure in Tonight | 4 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

Still nearly at its closest, the moon is near the bright star Aldebaran and Pleiades star cluster.

When to watch the closest supermoon

Posted by Bruce McClure in Tonight | 4 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The moon hasn’t been this close since 1948 and won’t be again until 2034. West of the International Date Line, watch November 14. In the Americas, watch tonight!

Large, bright, yellow moon against a black background

5 keys to enjoying the closest supermoon

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | 4 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

The closest full moon since 1948 is coming up this weekend. When should you watch? What should you watch for? Are supermoons hype? Here’s all you need to know.

Closest supermoon since 1948!

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 4 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

See that big bright moon in the evening sky? It’s waxing toward an extremely close supermoon on the nights of November 13 and 14, 2016.

Setting supermoon

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Today's Image | 4 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

Every full moon sets around dawn. Watch how much how much the sky brightened in the 3 minutes it took for the moon to disappear.

September 16 full moon a supermoon?

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 5 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

Start watching for the waxing moon. The upcoming Harvest Moon is an especially big and bright one, but is it a supermoon? That depends on your definition.

Supermoons and the Saros cycle

Posted by Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 5 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

Here’s one you might not know … the intriguing relationship between supermoons and the famous 18-year Saros cycle of eclipses.

First of year’s 6 supermoons March 9

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 5 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

We’ll have six supermoons in 2016. The first one is a new moon supermoon, not visible in our sky.

Supermoon total solar eclipse March 8-9

Posted by Bruce McClure in Sky Archive | Tonight | 5 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The first supermoon of 2016 also presents the first eclipse of the year, a total eclipse of the sun on March 8-9, 2016, visible from Indonesia and the Pacific.

High ‘supermoon tides’ strike coasts

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Earth | Human World | Science Wire | 6 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

Sunday’s supermoon, combined with an 18.6-year lunar cycle, caused high tides on both sides of the Atlantic this week. There were many flood warnings and alerts in effect in the UK on Tuesday night. In eastern North America, Tropical Storm Joaquin might combine with high tides to cause flooding.

In 2015, first of six supermoons comes on January 20

Posted by Bruce McClure in Tonight | 6 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

The first supermoon of 2015 comes on January 20. It’s not a full moon. It’s a new supermoon, between the Earth and sun. So you won’t see it, but those along coasts might experience higher-than-usual tides in the coming day or two.

Silhouetted man standing with raised foot apparenly resting on the just-risen full moon.

Is the October 8, 2014 full moon a supermoon?

Posted by Bruce McClure in Space | 7 years ago

Posted by Bruce McClure

There’s disagreement on whether the October 8, 2014 full moon should be called a supermoon. If it is one, it’s a super Hunter’s Blood Moon … in eclipse.

Best photos: It was a super supermoon!

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Today's Image | 7 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

The August 10, 2014 supermoon was the closest, brightest supermoon of 2014. Enjoy these photos from friends in the EarthSky community.

Perseid meteors versus the supermoon

Posted by EarthSky in Science Wire | Space | 7 years ago

Posted by EarthSky

Which is brighter – Perseid fireballs or a supermoon? You’ll find out as the year’s biggest, brightest full moon arrives as Perseid meteor shower starts to peak.

Waxing toward a supermoon, with rainbow

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Today's Image | 7 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

Kimmie Randall caught this photo of Thursday night’s gibbous moon, waxing toward the supermoon … with a portion of a rainbow. Beautiful!

Discern a supermoon’s large size with the eye? An observer says yes

Posted by EarthSky Voices in Space | 7 years ago

Posted by EarthSky Voices

There’s a supermoon this weekend, and many will tell you that you can’t discern its extra large size with just your eye. Daniel Fischer in Königswinter, Germany says that’s not true.

Supermoon, July 12, 3:16 a.m.

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Today's Image | 7 years ago

Posted by Deborah Byrd

The moon is past full now, but it’ll look full by Saturday night in North America. The moon will be closest to Earth Sunday morning at 3:37 a.m. (8:27 UTC).