Supermoon 2024: Astronomy lovers prepare, the first Supermoon of the year will light up the sky on August 19
A supermoon is a celestial event in which the Moon appears slightly larger and brighter than a normal full moon. This happens when the Moon’s orbit brings it closest to Earth, called perigee, and coincides with a full moon. The next supermoon is scheduled for August 19 at 2:26 p.m. ET, which is equivalent to 11:56 p.m. IST in India. It will be the first supermoon of the year.
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Upcoming Supermoon in 2024
Fred Espanak, a former NASA astrophysicist and eclipse expert, has identified four supermoons that will occur in 2024. These supermoons will occur in August, September, October, and November. Espanak defines a supermoon as a full moon that occurs within 90 percent of the moon’s closest distance to Earth. The closest supermoon of 2024 is expected to occur on October 17 at 7:26 a.m. ET or 4:56 p.m. ET. Typically, three to four supermoons can be observed each year. Although the term “supermoon” has been used for about four decades, it gained significant public attention in 2016 after three consecutive supermoons were visible.
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The science behind the supermoon
The Moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical orbit, averaging about 238,000 miles (382,900 km). Due to the gravitational pull of the Earth, the Sun, and other planets, the distance between the Moon’s apogee and perigee changes from month to month. According to NASA’s Noah Petro, these gravitational forces cause the Moon’s orbit to be irregular. A supermoon occurs when the Moon reaches its closest point in its 27-day orbit and is fully illuminated by the Sun, which happens about every 29.5 days. This alignment is relatively rare and only occurs a few times a year due to the changing orientation of the Moon’s orbit as the Earth orbits the Sun.
During a supermoon, the moon appears about 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than usual. However, experts note that this difference is often difficult to discern with the naked eye.
A supermoon is a fascinating astronomical event that offers a unique opportunity to observe the Moon’s varying sizes and brightnesses. The upcoming supermoon in 2024 will provide skywatchers with many opportunities to witness the phenomenon. While the visual difference may be subtle, the science behind supermoons continues to fascinate both experts and the general public.
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