When to see the year’s first supermoon

Fall is here, and October is bringing us a supermoon in the first week of the month.

On Monday, the supermoon will take over the sky, the same night that the Draconid meteor shower is set to begin, according to NASA.

While October’s moon, also known as the Harvest Moon, may be too bright to allow people to enjoy the meteor shower fully, the supermoon is still an incredible sight to see, as the moon will look around 30% brighter and up to 14% larger.

“It’s an annual, worldwide event when moon enthusiasts come together to enjoy our natural satellite,” NASA stated in its video “What’s Up: October 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA.” “You can attend or host a moon-viewing party, or simply observe the m oon from wherever you are.”

The full moon will be at its peak on Monday

at

8:47 p.m. PT, according to Citizen Times, a part of the USA Today Network.

What is a supermoon?

Supermoons happen when a new or full moon is at its closest to Earth all month, according to NASA. The phenomenon is known as “perigee.”

Because of that, the moon will look 30% brighter and up to 14% larger than it usually does.

October will not be the only month with a supermoon this year. Another will occur in November and December before the end of the year.

The supermoons will fall on the following dates, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac:

• Beaver Moon : Nov. 5 at 5:19 a.m. PT.
• Cold Moon : Dec. 4, at 3:14 a.m. PT.

Of the three supermoons, November’s full moon will be the closest to Earth at 221,817 miles away from Earth, with December’s moon coming in second at 221,965 miles and October’s moon in third at 224,600 miles, according to the Almanac.

Will you be able to see October’s supermoon? As of Friday, Oct. 3, the National Weather Service is predicting that most of the U.S. will have clear skies between 8 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 6, and 2 a.m. ET Tuesday, Oct. 7.

Why is it called the Harvest Moon?

This year, October is known as the Harvest Moon because it falls on the date closest to the autumn equinox. In 2024, the title of Harvest Moon went to the September full moon.

When it doesn’t fall on the date closest to the autumn equinox, the moon is named the Hunter Moon. The Algonquin Native Americans gave it this name because it signaled when it was time to start hunting for winter, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

In the U.S., moons are known by the names given to them by Native American tribes.

The moon is also known by the following names, according to AccuWeather:

• Dying Grass Moon

• Travel Moon

• Sanguine Moon

• Waking Moon

Full moons in 2025 2025 will bring us two more full moons, one in November and December:

• Wednesda