Astronomers say the brightest moon of the year will be visible Wednesday evening, reaching its apex Thursday for all those willing to stir before dawn for a look.
The supermoon will be appearing on the horizon just before 6 p.m. Wednesday, climbing to its apogee and most brilliant phase at 4:26 a.m. PT Thursday.
"This will be the third of four consecutive supermoons, and the brightest by a tiny margin [for 2024]," NASA's Gordon Johnston said. "As the full moon after the `Harvest Moon' [in September], this will be the 'Hunter's Moon." '
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, this week's supermoon will rotate as close as 222,055 miles from Earth — the closest position of the year, accounting for its luminousness.
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"While a supermoon is technically bigger and brighter than a regular full moon, it only appears about 7% larger, which can be an imperceptible difference to the human eye, depending on other conditions," according to the almanac. "As the moon drifts over the horizon around sunset, it may appear larger and more orange — perfect for the fall season."
According to NBC 7's Brooke Martell, the supermoon will rise around 5:49 p.m. Wednesday evening. There's a better chance of seeing it over San Diego's inland valley communities because of cloud coverage along the coastline, she added.
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While the Harvest Moon got its name from appearing in time for the autumn harvest, aiding farmers who need light after dark to move product out of the fields, the Hunter's Moon derives its name from different traditions and lore, according to Johnston and the almanac.
By some accounts, it gained its name from game hunters in the 1700s who relied on the autumn supermoons to spy deer, elk, buffalo and other wild animals grazing by moonlight to add weight ahead of the winter season. Johnston said Native American tribes dubbed the autumn supermoons "travel moons" for signaling when it was time to leave the mountains for lower elevations ahead of winter weather.
Details on when and where to look for the moons can be found here and here.
