Everything You Need To Know about the October 2024 Supermoon
The supermoon will appear much larger and closer than a traditional full moon.
Published Oct. 17 2024, 2:37 p.m. ET
Casual stargazers will get to experience something unique on Oct. 17, 2024, when three different celestial events take place at the same time. The good news is that anyone with a cloudless sky will likely be able to see the supermoon, which coincides with the annual harvest moon, and the C/2023 A3 comet, or Tsuchinshan-ATLAS.
The combination of the three will have those who aren't in the know asking themselves, so why does the moon look so bright tonight?
Continue reading to get an answer and to learn more about the events expected to light up the night sky on Oct. 17, including what special meaning they may have for you thanks to the timing of the Aries moon.
Why is the moon so big tonight?
According to NASA, the Oct. 17 moon owes its large size and bright appearance to the fact that it's a supermoon. A supermoon is a name used to describe the way the moon appears when its orbit brings it to the point when it's closest to Earth, which is likely to be within approximately 226,000 miles of our planet when the sun goes down tonight.
But, that's not all that's required for the moon to be dubbed "super," it also needs to be a full moon to get the title.
Tonight's supermoon will take place during the annual Hunter's moon, the name originally given to this season's full moon by America's Indigenous people. The Hunter's moon follows the aptly named Harvest moon, and both nicknames have a lot to do with the activities that generally take place this time of year.
The Hunter's moon is the biggest full moon that will appear in 2024, and it will be quite a sight to behold.
As an added bonus, this celestial show will also take place at the same time as comet C/2013 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) continues to make its way across the night sky. The viewability of the comet is expected to deteriorate over the next few days, according to the Space website, which means anyone who wants to catch a glimpse before it disappears for the next 80,000 years better act fast.
What does a full moon in Aries mean?
If you're a close follower of all things zodiac, you may wonder what the Oct. 17 full moon will mean for you. The hunter's moon will come up under the fire sign Aries, which means things may be intense during this lunar phase.
This means that you may want to brace yourself for some power struggles at home or else expect to hear from the old green-eyed monster named jealousy because things can be intense during this time, according to Today.
That doesn't mean that the news is all bad. Even if things get a bit chaotic for you, thanks to the Aries moon, they will be short-lived. That's because a few short hours after the moon finishes her show, Venus will enter Sagittarius, which will prompt a whole lot of forgiveness and hopefully put an end to any frustrations created by this particular lunar phase.
