A Supermoon is a “bigger and brighter” lunar phenomenon which appears over the Earth at the same time as a full moon
The exact dates which two Supermoons will be visible over London has been predicted by Greenwich Observatory. A Supermoon is a “bigger and brighter” lunar phenomenon which appears over the Earth at the same time as a full moon.
London’s last Supermoon took place on Tuesday, October 7, when the night sky was lit up by a beautiful bright moon. Each year there are normally three to four opportunities to catch a glimpse of a Supermoon.
There are set to be two more Supermoons in 2025. During these phenomena, the moon will appear 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than when the Moon is furthest away.
You can see more fascinating photographs of Supermoons here.
What causes a Supermoon?
The distance between the Moon and the Earth varies, as the Earth isn’t at the centre of the Moon’s orbit, which is not in the shape of a circle but an ellipse. A lunar perigee is the moment when the Moon is closest to the Earth, while a lunar apogee is the moment when the moon is furthest away.
When the lunar perigee occurs very close to a full moon, a Supermoon occurs. If the lunar apogee happens very close to a full moon, then it causes a micromoon.
One strict definition of a Supermoon is that is occurs when the moon is within 10 percent of its closest distance at the moment of a full moon. A Supermoon lunar eclipse is an even rarer event which sees a total lunar eclipse coincide with a Supermoon, last occurring in 2019.
How can I see a Supermoon?
A Supermoon will appear as an unmistakable white orb in the sky if there aren’t too many clouds in the atmosphere. Using a telescope or pair of binoculars may help viewers see the Moon’s surface in more detail.
Moonrise just after sunses or moonset just after sunrise are both good times to try and see a Supermoon as it will appear huge compare to the surrounding landscape.
This is caused by an optical illusion, as during moonrise, the Moon looks bigger because our brain doesn’t understand that the sky is a dome. Our brain then warps imagery of things to the horizon so that they appear bigger.
Full list of upcoming Supermoons
Wednesday, November 5
Thursday, December 4
Thursday, December 24
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