The closest supermoon in 68 years happens tonight
This months full moon is not your ordinary full moon, it’s actually quite rare. No, it is not a blue moon, but rather a supermoon. In the overnight hours of November 13th we will see a supermoon that hasn’t been this big since 1948. That’s 68 years! On top of that, we won’t see a moon this big for another 34 years.
What makes a supermoon a supermoon? This phenomenon happens when a full moon coincides with perigee. Perigee is the point at which the moon is closest to the earth during its orbital path.
Tonight the moon will be 7.26 percent closer to the earth than it typically is. Since it will be so much closer, the moon will appear bigger and brighter. It will appear about 16 percent brighter and 7 percent bigger than the average full moon.
You can enjoy tonights supermoon all evening long after the moon rises around 4:45 PM on November 13th. The best time to see this extraordinary moon is during the moonrise. During this time, the moon will have an orange glow since the sun will be setting around this same time. It will appear bigger and brighter on the horizon. If you miss the moonrise, the moon will also be on the horizon during moonset. This supermoon will set around 6:40 AM on November 14th.
Tonight clouds are expected to develop throughout the evening hours in mid-Missouri. We may start seeing thicker mid to high level clouds by the evening hours, which unfortunately, could potentially obstruct a complete view of this evenings supermoon.
