Skywatchers can look forward to the first supermoon of the year on Monday night. The full harvest moon will be visible from Monday evening into early Tuesday, reaching its peak fullness at approximately 11:48 p.m. ET.
The term “harvest moon” refers to the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox, marking the start of fall. Historically, its bright light assisted farmers in completing their harvests, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
This event marks the first of three consecutive supermoons this year. A supermoon occurs when the moon is at perigee, its closest point to Earth, resulting in a larger and brighter appearance.
NASA’s Artemis III project scientist noted that even if clouds obscure the moon on Monday, it will still appear nearly full on Tuesday night. He encouraged people to observe the moon throughout the week to appreciate its subtle changes.
The October harvest moon coincides with NASA’s recent announcement of its latest astronaut class, who may eventually travel to the moon and Mars. The Artemis II mission, set to launch early next year, will carry a crew of four astronauts around the moon.
Upcoming supermoons include the Beaver moon on November 5 and the Cold moon on December 4. In addition to these lunar events, several meteor showers are expected in the coming months.
Key meteor shower dates include the Draconids on October 8-9 and the Orionids on October 20-21. Observers can expect additional meteor activity from the Taurids, Leonids, and Geminids later in the year.
