The year’s fourth and final supermoon arrives Thursday night, giving skywatchers a luminous view as it nears Earth at roughly 225,000 miles. Though it won’t reach its full phase until Friday, this supermoon is the last chance this year to catch the celestial event.
Why It Matters: Supermoons provide a striking view of the moon, appearing bigger and up to 30% brighter. This phenomenon draws attention not only to the moon’s natural beauty but to humanity’s renewed focus on lunar exploration.
🌠 What’s Happening:
• The supermoon follows the Taurid meteor shower’s peak and will precede the active Leonid meteor display.
• While last month’s supermoon was closer, Thursday’s will be the year’s final, making this a limited chance for enthusiasts.
🌍 Catch Up Quick: A “supermoon” is not a scientific term but describes a full moon coinciding with its closest orbit to Earth. The closer the moon is, the larger and brighter it appears, though most viewers see only a slight change.
• Earlier this Year: The August supermoon was 224,917 miles away, with September’s coming in closer at 222,131 miles.
🔭 The Big Picture: Supermoons heighten public interest in the moon, especially as the U.S. and international space agencies ramp up lunar missions. With plans for new landers and astronauts on the horizon, the final supermoon of 2023 is a timely reminder of what awaits beyond our atmosphere.
Mark your calendar for Thursday evening; the next series of supermoons won’t begin until October 2025.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist with 25-years experience in journalism. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is the publisher of The Georgia Sun and a fifth-generation Georgian.
