The moon is about to look bigger and fuller all night on the weekend in a spectacular lunar event – the first and only one for 2017. It’s going to be a special one for the month of December because people will get to see a Supermoon.
Anyone who’s been enjoying the view of full moons this year might think that this coming Supermoon 2017 is not the only special full moon this year. There were three supermoons this year but they involved a new moon, or when the moon had a darkened face. Technically, December’s Supermoon is the fourth one to dazzle the sky but according to National Geographic, this full moon will be the only “proper” Supermoon that can be seen with the naked eyes.
When to See Supermoon 2017
Also referred to as the cold moon in the Northern Hemisphere, the coming Supermoon will light up the sky at 10:47 a.m. ET on Dec. 3. It will be closest to Earth – the point in the orbit of the moon known as perigee – on Dec. 4 at 4 a.m. ET. This means that the moon will be 357,492 kilometers from our planet and that Supermoon 2017 will look seven percent larger and 16 percent brighter than normal. Even then, the moon is still so far away that some will find it difficult to spot the difference.
Those on the East Coast can see the moon rise at around 4:59 p.m. It will set the following day at 7:50 a.m. There should be plenty of time not to miss it.
How’s the Weather
While weather conditions may change in the days to come, meteorologist Chris Dolce said that the Southeast coast, including Florida, has the best chances of having clear skies for better viewing of the Supermoon 2017. Some parts of the central and western states could experience cloud covers. It may be too early to tell which areas offer the best viewing conditions since the weather continues to change, Dolce noted.
The Best Time to Watch It
The Supermoon this year is best viewed just as the full moon rises, which happens after local sunset. An optical illusion, called the moon illusion, makes the supermoon appear bigger and brighter. On the other hand, if you are stuck in the office or your home and you can’t go outside to watch the beautiful lunar event, check out Virtual Telescope Project. The web TV will stream live images of the Supermoon rising over Rome at 11 a.m. ET.
If you’ll be missing out on the Supermoon 2017 altogether, don’t fret as the month of January offers two full moon events, according to EarthSky .
