The last supermoon of 2023 will appear next week

According to Business Insider, this year's super harvest moon will appear on September 29, coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) defines a supermoon as a full moon that can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than the dimmest moon of the year. The reason is that when a supermoon occurs, the moon is at its closest point in its orbit to Earth, called perigee.

This year's harvest supermoon will appear on September 29, coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. (Photo: InspireMore)

While the September 29 supermoon won't be the biggest supermoon of 2023 (that title goes to August's super blue moon) — it will still be larger than average.

"The difference between this full moon and the August supermoon is only 4,370 kilometers. So it will be very close to 14% and 30% of the largest full moon of the year," said Noah Petro, project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at NASA.

As for the name "harvest moon," it comes from the time when farmers in the Northern Hemisphere are ready to harvest their crops. While it's not as close or bright as August's supermoon, it can take on a deep yellow, orange, or red hue, especially as it rises above the horizon.

According to Mr. Petro, the Moon only changes color when it rises or sets on the horizon, or during a lunar eclipse. The reason is similar to the phenomenon of red sunrise and sunset.

“The Earth’s atmosphere scatters light, except for red or orange,” Petro explains. Atmospheric elements like clouds, smoke, and dust can also change the color and brightness of the Moon.

Moonrise is the best time to see the size of a supermoon. When the moon is close to the horizon, foreground objects like trees and rocks can give a clearer sense of size. As a result, the moon appears largest at this time, according to NASA.

Tra Khanh (Source: Businessinsider)

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