The summer of 2023 has been a treat for full moon fans. Since July, we’ve seen four supermoons in a row, including the rare Super Blue Moon Moon of August and this weekend, the final supermoon of the year, the Harvest Moon of September, gave skywatchers the final lunar thrill of the season.
When the moon is at or near its perigee, the closest point in its orbit with Earth, it can appear as much as 30% brighter and 14% larger in the sky, though it’s typically hard to spot for casual full moon observers.
When this occurs, it’s called a supermoon.
September’s full moon on Sept. 29 is also known as the Harvest Moon, reflective of the start of harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere, and was the fourth in a series of supermoons that began in July (with two in August due to the Blue Moon).
This year has been an especially fortunate year for supermoon lovers, with a yearlong wait ahead before one will rise again.
The next supermoon won’t occur until the next Harvest Moon in September 2024.
Read More Here: Brilliant Harvest Moon, the last supermoon of 2023, wows stargazers around the world (photos)
