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4 months ago
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A rare supermoon will illuminate the night sky this month, appearing bigger and brighter than any moon seen this year.
The August full moon, nicknamed the Sturgeon moon, is set to dazzle in the night sky on August 19 when it glows around 30 percent brighter than a typical evening.
Astronomers recommend Americans head outside just after 8pm ET to catch the best views.
But there will also be a series of back-to-back giant moons over the next few months if you miss this one.
The Sturgeon supermoon will light up the night sky on August 19, followed by three more back-to-back supermoons in the months after.
The Sturgeon moon will be fullest at 2:26pm ET on August 19, but people in the US won't be able to see it at that point.
That's because it will be on the opposite side of the Earth. Hopeful viewers in the US will have to wait until moonrise, which will be around 8:07 p.m. ET, according to the Farmer's Almanac.
On the East Coast, the supermoon will rise towards the east-southeastern skies, peaking about one-third of the way through the sky before setting at about 7:00am in the west-southwest.
Supermoons look biggest and brightest when they're closest to the horizon, so the best time to see it will be just after moonrise or just before moonset.
That's because when it's near the horizon, there are objects like trees and buildings compare the moon's size too.
This creates an optical illusion that makes the moon seem larger than when it's high in the sky without nearby objects to compare it to.
An optical illusion makes supermoons appear biggest and brightest when they're close to the horizon.
The moon will be so big and bright that it should be easily visible across the US, but make sure to check the weather forecast ahead of time. Cloudy skies could obscure the view.
Look for a location with a clear view of the horizon, like a beach, hill or field.
If you live in the city, you may want to get out in search of darker skies, as light pollution can dim the moon's brightness.
To see the details of the moon up close - like craters - make sure to bring some binoculars and a telescope with you.
But if you miss out on this month's supermoon, don't fret. You'll have three more chances to see one in the following months.
After this month, the next supermoons of 2024 will occur on September 18, October 17 and November 15.
Supermoons happen three to four times each year and always occur in consecutive months.
Supermoons occur when the full moon is at 'perigee' - the point where it's closest to Earth.
They cast about 30 percent more light on the planet than the moon when it's at its dimmest.
That's because they happen when the full moon passes especially close to our planet, and more of the sun's rays that reflect off the moon's surface make it to Earth.
The distance between the Earth and the moon fluctuates because the moon follows an elliptical (oval-shaped) orbit around our planet.
Throughout its orbit, the Moon varies between about 226,000 and 226,000 miles away from our planet.
If it followed a perfectly circular orbit, the full moon's size and brightness would never appear to change.
The point at which the moon is closest to Earth is called 'perigee.' At this point, it appears about 14 percent larger than when it's at 'apogee' - the furthest point away.
The closest supermoon of this century will occur on December 6, 2052.
