The full harvest supermoon will be visible just before 7 p.m. EDT and reach its peak of illumination at 5:57 a.m. EDT on Friday.
On Thursday evening, the year’s last full supermoon — a harvest moon — will glow near the horizon just after sunset. The moon will appear bright and vibrant on Thursday, Sept. 28, just before 7 p.m. ET, but it will reach its fullest on Friday around 6 a.m. ET, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
If it feels like you’ve been hearing about supermoons a lot this year, you’re right. This is the grand finale in 2023’s jam-packed series of four supermoons, which included August’s rare event: two supermoons in one month. After this week, the next supermoon won’t grace our skies until summer 2024. Here’s how to catch Thursday’s lunar marvel, including where to look and when.
What Is a Supermoon?
This month’s lunar sight isn’t just any moon; it’s a full harvest supermoon. That’s the name given to September’s moon — the closest to the September equinox — as it’s the time to harvest what was grown in the spring, according to the Farmers’ Almanac. Other names include “corn moon” and “barley moon,” per SkySafari.
How to See the Full Harvest Supermoon
The full orange orb will shine near the Aquarius and Pisces stars in the eastern sky, according to stargazing app SkySafari. To admire it, head out before sunset on Thursday and find a spot with relatively open views to the east, such as a beach or a scenic overlook. It will shine around sunset, then continue glimmering into Friday evening.
The full harvest supermoon will reach its peak of illumination at 5:57 a.m. EDT on Friday, Sept. 29. It will reappear Friday evening, which means you can enjoy it twice to close out the month.
While the moon’s glow climaxes Friday morning, it will appear largest Thursday and Friday evening when it’s near the horizon. This is due to the moon illusion, a phenomenon that makes objects like the moon appear larger on the horizon than in the overhead sky, according to the Natural History Museum of London.
When Is the Next Supermoon?
We may have been lucky with supermoons this year, but we’re about to hit a dry spell — that’s all the more reason to head out to enjoy the lunar beauty this Thursday and Friday. Consequently, after this, we won’t enjoy another supermoon until September 2024, then again in October and November. Therefore, mark your calendar to ensure you don’t miss out on future celestial events.
