Hunter’s Super Moon arriving this evening (visible together with the comet): it will be the largest and brightest of the year

New show coming, la Hunter’s Super Moon! The October 17 our satellite – weather permitting – will be in the flood phase and could appear larger and brighter because it is close to the perigee. And it will be the closest to us of the year, therefore “the most Super”. Don’t miss it!

At 1.28pm the Moon will reach its full stage, about 11 hours after making its closest approach to Earth, just over 357,000 kilometres. Starting from 7.30pm, the Virtual Telescope Project will broadcast the Supermoon show live on its website, using instruments located in Manciano, in the province of Grosseto.

What is the Supermoon

As we always specify, the definition of Supermoon, first of all, has never been confirmed byInternational Astronomical Unionso stay . That said, Supermoon often means what the astrologer wrote Richard Nolle in 1979, according to which a full moon or new moon is “Super” if it reaches at least 90% of its perigee maximum (the point of the lunar orbit closest to our planet). In other words, a supermoon is a moon that is no more than 361,885 km from Earth, measured from the centers of the two celestial bodies.

As he explains TimeanddateIn fact, the Moon’s orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle, but elliptical, with one side closer to the Earth than the other. As a result, the distance between the Moon and the Earth varies throughout the month and year (on average, this distance is about 382,900 kilometers).

What we will see on October 17, 2024

After sunset, a splendid full moon will appear, the closest to us in 2024. Our satellite will in fact be 357.428 km from us, a distance which, weather permitting, could really make the lunar disk appear even brighter (on the map the sky of October 17, 2024 at approximately 9.00 pm).

As he explains again Timeanddatea full moon this close could in fact appear up to 13-14% larger and up to 27-30% brighter than a minimoon, i.e. a moon close to its apogee, the point of its orbit furthest from us.

supermoon eclipse September 18, 2024

How to see it

In Italy, the Moon should make its appearance at 6.19pm in an east/northeast direction (coordinates of Rome). From 7.30pm, the Virtual Telescope Project will broadcast the Supermoon live on its website, using its instruments located in Manciano, in the province of Grosseto, under one of the skies freest from light pollution in mainland Italy.

Why October’s full moon is called the Hunter’s Moon

The name derives, as very often, from the American tradition: everyone was now in fact projected towards the winter for which it was necessary collect food supplies. In the fields there was all the excitement of hunting, in a period still without snow with many animals still “available”.

But the October full moon is not always called that. First of all it is sometimes also called Blood Moon or Blood moon always because of the “ruthless” hunting, as well as being there Harvest Moon if the closest to the autumnal equinox (this was not the case this year, because the full moon of September was September 18th and the autumn equinox on September 22nd at 1.34pm Italian time).

What is the symbolism linked to the Hunter’s Moon

This Supermoon in Aries, a fire sign, brings with it powerful and impetuous energy, capable of generating profound changes, but also chaos and impulsive decisions. Aries energy, in fact, can make us courageous and determined or, on the contrary, nervous and restless. The key is knowing how to direct this strength towards real objectives and authentic needs, transforming moments of uncertainty into opportunities for growth.

Julie Peters, Yoga and Meditation expert, recommends using this phase to reflect on what we have cultivated in the last year, letting go of what no longer serves us. To make the most of these energies, it is useful to focus on what we really want for the future, evaluate our priorities and reconsider the values ​​that motivate us.

Double show in the sky: the Supermoon and the Tsuchinshan-Atlas comet

This evening, in addition to the Supermoon, comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-Atlas will also be visible, appearing at sunset on the opposite side of the sky. Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas, known as the “comet of the century,” is visible to the naked eye in the Northern Hemisphere until October 21, putting on a stunning spectacle after making its flyby of the Sun on September 27, 2024. Coming from the cloud of Oort, this comet of 20-40 kilometers in diameter is of great scientific interest for data on the primordial matter of the solar system.

Don’t miss it!

Source: Timeanddate