The first supermoon of the year will rise tonight, and if you’ve not got plans tonight… just look up!
If you’re keen to catch a glimpse of the supermoon but not totally sure what’s actually going on - here’s everything you need to know.
When is October's supermoon happening?
The first supermoon of the year - ‘Hunter’s Moon’ - will rise tonight (Tuesday, October 7), and if the skies stay clear, you’re in for a treat.
You won’t need a telescope or fancy tools for this one. Just look to the eastern horizon with a naked eye after the sun has set at 7:30pm.
And if you do happen to miss it tonight, it’s no biggie. The moon might still be visible from your place tomorrow night - it just won’t be at its peak.
Where's the best place in NZ to see October's supermoon?
Anywhere with a clear view of the eastern horizon is your best bet - the higher up, the better.
MetService reckons the skies will clear for most of Aotearoa this evening, though Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Taupō might have some trouble with a few clouds and possible light showers.
What is a supermoon?
Because the moon is closer to Earth than most other full moons, it looks bigger and more vibrant to anyone looking at it from Earth.
According to NASA, supermoons tend to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than any regular full moon.
“A ‘supermoon’ occurs when a full Moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, a point known as perigee,” NASA says.
“Supermoon isn’t an official astronomical term, but typically it’s used to describe a full Moon that comes within at least 90% of perigee.”
What does October's supermoon mean for my star sign?
If you are in touch with your spiritual side, you’ll know this full moon is rising in the fire sign of Aries.
According to Forever Conscious, “As this Full Moon falls in the sign of Aries, we look to Mars, the natural ruler of Aries, to see how this Full Moon may play out.”
“There are big realisations on offer under this Full Moon around what we truly wish to spend our time doing, what truly motivates us, and if we are following our passions or not. We may feel a strong drive to get things done, or to finally bring an end to things that we no longer want to give our time to.”
If you're looking to cleanse and charge your crystals under the supermoon, go right ahead, but make sure to do so with clear intentions.
With a cleanse, the stones will be supercharged to help you on your mission throughout this lunar month.
If you happen to miss the moon tonight, there’ll be two more supermoons of 2025 to wrap up the year - on November 5 and December 4.
