This Wednesday brings with it the closest supermoon of 2025, a phenomenon when the moon appears bigger and brighter because it is closer to Earth than it normally is. It’s called the “Full Beaver” supermoon.
NASA explained that the moon’s orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle. Therefore, its distance from our planet varies depending on what part of its orbit the moon is in.
When it’s closest (a point called the perigee) the moon can look bigger and when it is a full moon, it can look brighter, since more surface area is reflecting the sun. That’s generally what’s considered a “supermoon,” NASA said, and it happens three to four times per year. However, the Old Farmer’s Almanac noted that there are some varying definitions for what counts as a supermoon and NASA noted that “supermoon” isn’t an official term, but that it usually describes a moon within at least 90% of perigee.
When the moon reaches perigee during each 27-day orbit, it is around 226,000 miles from Earth. At its furthest point (apogee), it is around 251,000 miles from Earth. However, the moon’s orbit also wobbles, so distance also depends on where the Earth and sun are in their orbits.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the Wednesday supermoon is the second supermoon of the year and the one that passes closest to Earth, coming approximately 221,817 miles within the planet at 8:19 a.m. There was also a supermoon last month, followed by a meteor shower, according to NASA. More are coming up in December and January, but then we’ll get a supermoon break until next November.
As the Wednesday “Full Beaver” supermoon reaches peak illumination in the morning, it will actually be below the horizon line. It will be easier to see Tuesday night and Wednesday night.
“When the moon shines down on your neighborhood on Wednesday night, keep this in mind: what you're looking at is not precisely a ‘full’ moon, but a waning gibbous moon, already many hours past its stage of full illumination,” Space.com noted.