NASA/Bill Ingalls // Public Domain
If you’re planning some kind of outdoor nocturnal mischief this November, we recommend you avoid the 14th, when a gargantuan supermoon will light up the night sky. If you’re not, we recommend that you get outside and enjoy it.
Supermoons aren’t rare—we typically get between four and six each year—but this month’s is extra special for a few reasons. It’s a full moon, for one, and will be orbiting extraordinarily close to Earth. We haven’t been this close to our lunar satellite since January 1948, and we won’t be again until November 2034.
The Moon’s proximity to Earth and its position relative to the Sun will create a jaw-dropping spectacle, with the Moon appearing up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than normal full moons.
If you’re the early-to-bed type or expect to be stuck inside that evening, don’t fret: the supermoon’s peak will actually occur during morning rush hour at 8:52 a.m. EST. Plus, we’ll remind you the day before.
And while you’ve got your calendar out, take note: we’ll get another, albeit lesser, supermoon again on December 14.
November 3, 2016 – 5:30pm