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By: ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN, AP Science Writer
Posted: Nov 5, 2025, 06:37 AM EST
Updated: Nov 5, 2025, 06:44 AM EST
NEW YORK (AP) — Prepare for a celestial treat on Wednesday night as the moon takes center stage, appearing slightly larger and more luminous during this year’s closest supermoon event.
The moon’s path around Earth isn’t perfectly circular, causing its distance from us to vary throughout its orbit. A supermoon occurs when a full moon is at its nearest point to Earth, making it appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter compared to the dimmest full moon of the year, as reported by NASA.
November’s supermoon is the second of three supermoons this year and also the closest: The moon will come within just under 222,000 miles (357,000 kilometers) of Earth.
Tides may be slightly higher during a supermoon because the moon is closer to Earth, said astronomer Lawrence Wasserman with Lowell Observatory. But the difference isn’t very noticeable.
No special equipment is needed to view the supermoon if clear skies permit. But the change in the moon’s size can be tough to discern with the naked eye.
“The difference is most obvious as a comparison between other images or observations,” said Shannon Schmoll, director of Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University, in an email.
Supermoons happen a few times a year. One in October made the moon look somewhat larger, and another in December will be the last of the year.