Something super duper is happening upstairs in that dark, mystical sky of ours this week. If you slept through June’s dazzling double meteor shower and missed one of the year’s best shooting star displays in July, then mark your celestial calendars for October 17. That’s when the brightest supermoon of the year is set to grace Australia's skies with its luminous presence.
When is the next supermoon in Australia?
The next full moon is taking place this Thursday, October 17 – peaking at 7.26pm AWST, 8.56pm ACST and 10.26pm AEST. It will appear full for three days around this time, from Tuesday night to Friday morning.
You can check the exact moonrise and moonset for your specific location here.
As a bonus celestial treat, the dazzling Orionid meteor shower is set to peak just three days after the Hunter's Moon, lighting up the skies on the night between October 20 and 21. This stunning display happens when Earth passes through the trail of debris left behind by Halley’s Comet, with up to ten-20 meteors expected to streak across the sky per hour. However, Earthsky.org has warned that the shower will coincide with the waning gibbous moon, a phase between a full and a half moon, which might interfere with the meteor shower.
What is the difference between a full moon and a supermoon?
The full moon is an astronomical event wherein the full face of the moon is visible from Earth. This monthly event happens when the moon and sun are aligned on opposite sides of Earth, meaning that 100 per cent of the moon’s face is illuminated by the sun, making it appear extra big and luminescent in the sky.
A full moon gets upgraded to supermoon status when it’s at the closest point to Earth during its orbit. According to NASA, October’s supermoon will be the "brightest by a tiny margin", but there will be another biggie on November 15 if you miss it.
What does the Hunter's Moon mean?
The Hunter's Moon gets its name from the time of year, traditionally associated with hunting in the Northern Hemisphere. With the moon rising earlier and shining brighter, hunters had more hours of light to hunt for game. Plus, with the fields freshly harvested, it was even easier to see the animals who had ventured out into the cleared fields to glean leftover crops.
How to see the supermoon in Australia?
You won’t need a telescope to take in the full grandeur of the full moon. So long as there are clear skies, you should easily be able to see it with the naked eye by simply looking up. If you want to see it in more detail, you can also use a telescope or binoculars.
When it comes to fully appreciating the full moon, the darker the area you're in, the better. You can find our top spots in this handy guide to the best stargazing spots near Australia.