The next supermoon is on track to be the closest that Earth’s lone satellite is expected to be to the blue planet in 2025.
But don’t expect to see it, even with clear skies.
On Sunday, the next supermoon should be 221,917 miles away from Earth, almost 40,000 miles closer than it usually is from Earth, according to EarthSky. Supermoons happen when a full or new moon reaches its closest point along its elliptical orbit with Earth, referred to as the perigee.
Supermoons typically appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter when the orb reaches perigee during the full moon phase, NASA stated. The standard effect that a supermoon has on Earth is that it can cause higher tides than usual.
But this next supermoon, referred to by NASA as a new supermoon, is expected to be invisible. As of Sunday, the moon should reach its new moon phase as it transits between Earth and the sun. The dark side of the moon faces Earth when this happens, while the illuminated side that typically shines in the sky faces the sun.
Two more new supermoons are expected to “appear” in the night sky exactly one month later, on May 27, EarthSky reported. This moon should have a slightly greater distance between it and Earth, at 223,720 miles. The new supermoon on June 25 should be 227,910 miles from Earth.
Stargazers will have to wait a while until the next full supermoon illuminates the night sky, which is expected on Oct. 7, EarthSky stated.
