Stargazers are in for a treat as the so-called 'Harvest Moon' is due to shine brightly shortly after the sun sets at 18.45 BST. This is supposed to mark the end of September.
Supermoons take place when a full Moon closely aligns with its "perigee," a point in its orbit approximately 221,484 miles (356,445 km) from Earth.
This marks the end of an uncommon series of four supermoons in 2023, including two in July, a phenomenon that won't grace our skies for another 14 years.
Astronomer Professor Don Pollacco of the University of Warwick explained, '[This occurs] when there is a full Moon at the time when the Moon is closest to the Earth,'
The Moon can appear larger, approximately 10-15 percent, and brighter, around 25-30 percent, compared to a 'normal' full Moon.
For most people, the Moon appears quite similar. However, it's worth noting that when any full Moon rises, it can appear larger than normal.
He added: 'This is partly due to the Earth’s atmosphere and also an optical illusion, like seeing the Moon next to trees.'
In contrast to monthly full Moons, supermoons generally occur three to four times a year due to the very specific conditions required for supermoons to occur.
Professor Sarah Russell from the Natural History Museum elaborated, 'During a supermoon, the Moon is at a stage where it is closest to Earth.
'This will typically last for two to five full Moons, so that's why there are multiple supermoons in a row.
'After that, the Moon goes into the more distant part of its orbit.'
Fortunately, tonight's supermoon will be sufficiently large and luminous to be visible to the naked eye from anywhere in the country. However, it depends on weather conditions.
So, you should move away from cloudy areas with significant light pollution. Binoculars can also be helpful if you wish to get a closer view of the supper moon.
