Hunter’s Moon explained<\/strong><\/h2>Why is this full Moon called the ‘Hunter’s Moon’, and what will it look like?<\/p>
Each full Moon of the year has attained an informal nickname. You’ll hear talk of a Wolf Moon<\/a>, a Snow Moon<\/a>, a Worm Moon<\/a> or a Flower Moon<\/a>, for example.<\/p>In reality, these are just that: nicknames. They don’t indicate that a particular full Moon will look any different, and instead reflect cultural and natural activities around the time of year that full Moon is visible.<\/p>
A Hunter’s Moon, for example, is the full Moon at the time of year when hunters would traditionally be most active.<\/p>
There are a few explanations and theories you’ll find if you delve into the subject.<\/p>![\"Hunter's](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/hunters-moon-composite.jpg\")
Hunter’s Moon of 9 October 2022 rising over Crawling Lake Reservoir, Alberta, Canada. Credit: Alan Dyer\/Stocktrek Images\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>October is the time of year when hunting begins and the bright full Moon provides light so hunters can see their prey.<\/p>
The Hunter’s Moon is the full Moon after harvest, meaning bare fields and fewer places for animals to hide.<\/p>
Animals are fattened from feeding in preparation for hibernation, so the Hunter’s Moon denotes the time of year a hunter’s prize would be greatest.<\/p>
Finally, this when hunters would capture prey to provide meat in store for the cold winter months.<\/p>
But don’t let this fool you. The Hunter’s Moon will look much the same as any other full Moon of the year, except for one subtle difference in 2024…<\/p>
2024’s Hunter’s Moon is a supermoon<\/strong><\/h2>![\"The](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/09\/Lee-Mansfield-SRT-02.jpg\")
The 18 September 2024 Harvest Moon dissected by cloud, captured by Lee Mansfield over the Singing Ringing Tree sculpture, Burnley, Lancashire, UK.<\/figcaption><\/figure>There are four so-called supermoons<\/a> in 2024, and the 17 October full Hunter’s Moon is the second.<\/p>The first was the tongue-twister that was the Super Harvest Moon partial lunar eclipse of 18 September 2024<\/a>.<\/p>Just like that full Moon, the 17 October full Moon will also be a ‘supermoon’.<\/p>
And just like the 18 September Moon, websites and social media are bound to be awash with articles proclaiming a huge, giant Moon will hang enormously bright in the sky.<\/p>
The reason for this is because the Moon will be at its closest point to Earth in its orbit.<\/p>![\"Comparison](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/03\/moon-perigee-apogee-6bd18b4.jpg\")
Comparison between the perigee (closest) and apogee (farthest) Moons. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>Our Moon’s orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle: it’s elliptical, or egg-shaped.<\/p>
There are times when the Moon is furthest from Earth (known as ‘apogee’), and times when it’s closest to Earth (known as ‘perigee’).<\/p>
During a supermoon, the Moon is at perigee.<\/p>
The official term for a supermoon is a ‘perigee syzygy Moon’, ‘syzygy’ referring to three celestial objects in a straight alignment: in this case the Sun, Earth and the Moon.<\/p>![\"A](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/01\/Perigee_apogee_moon-c550ade.png\")
A perigee full Moon (left) appears 30 larger than an apogee full Moon (right). Credit: Pete Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>So the 17 October Hunter’s Moon supermoon will technically be bigger and brighter than a ‘regular’ full Moon, but the truth is the difference is imperceptible to the naked eye.<\/p>
It won’t appear much bigger or brighter than any other full Moon.<\/p>
Having said that, a full Moon – supermoon or not \u2013 is a beautiful spectacle in the night sky.<\/p>
If you’re planning on observing the 17 October Hunter’s Moon supermoon, here are some ideas on how to make the most of it.<\/p>
Observing the Hunter’s Moon supermoon<\/strong><\/h2>![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/01\/moonbow-03.jpeg\")
Photo of a meteor and a Moonbow around a Hunter’s Moon. Credit: Acoll123 \/ Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>- See if the rising full Moon looks bigger – this is known as the Moon illusion<\/a><\/li>
- Does the rising Moon also look orange<\/a> or even rusty red?<\/li>
- While not as favourable as a crescent or gibbous Moon, observe the Moon with binoculars or telescope<\/a><\/li>
- Photograph the Moon<\/a> with a DSLR camera<\/li>
- Photograph the Moon with a smartphone<\/a><\/li>
- Get out your paper and pencils and sketch the Moon<\/a><\/li>
- Full Moon is a good time to observe lunar ray ejecta systems<\/a><\/li>
- See if you can spot a halo or arc around the Moon<\/a><\/li>
- See if you can spot a Moonbow<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
And, if you’ve enjoyed the Hunter’s Moon, wait until the evening of 19 October when the just-past-full Moon will drift through the southern portion of the Pleiades star cluster<\/a>.<\/p>
In reality, these are just that: nicknames. They don’t indicate that a particular full Moon will look any different, and instead reflect cultural and natural activities around the time of year that full Moon is visible.<\/p>
A Hunter’s Moon, for example, is the full Moon at the time of year when hunters would traditionally be most active.<\/p>
There are a few explanations and theories you’ll find if you delve into the subject.<\/p> October is the time of year when hunting begins and the bright full Moon provides light so hunters can see their prey.<\/p> The Hunter’s Moon is the full Moon after harvest, meaning bare fields and fewer places for animals to hide.<\/p> Animals are fattened from feeding in preparation for hibernation, so the Hunter’s Moon denotes the time of year a hunter’s prize would be greatest.<\/p> Finally, this when hunters would capture prey to provide meat in store for the cold winter months.<\/p> But don’t let this fool you. The Hunter’s Moon will look much the same as any other full Moon of the year, except for one subtle difference in 2024…<\/p> There are four so-called supermoons<\/a> in 2024, and the 17 October full Hunter’s Moon is the second.<\/p> The first was the tongue-twister that was the Super Harvest Moon partial lunar eclipse of 18 September 2024<\/a>.<\/p> Just like that full Moon, the 17 October full Moon will also be a ‘supermoon’.<\/p> And just like the 18 September Moon, websites and social media are bound to be awash with articles proclaiming a huge, giant Moon will hang enormously bright in the sky.<\/p> The reason for this is because the Moon will be at its closest point to Earth in its orbit.<\/p> Our Moon’s orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle: it’s elliptical, or egg-shaped.<\/p> There are times when the Moon is furthest from Earth (known as ‘apogee’), and times when it’s closest to Earth (known as ‘perigee’).<\/p> During a supermoon, the Moon is at perigee.<\/p> The official term for a supermoon is a ‘perigee syzygy Moon’, ‘syzygy’ referring to three celestial objects in a straight alignment: in this case the Sun, Earth and the Moon.<\/p> So the 17 October Hunter’s Moon supermoon will technically be bigger and brighter than a ‘regular’ full Moon, but the truth is the difference is imperceptible to the naked eye.<\/p> It won’t appear much bigger or brighter than any other full Moon.<\/p> Having said that, a full Moon – supermoon or not \u2013 is a beautiful spectacle in the night sky.<\/p> If you’re planning on observing the 17 October Hunter’s Moon supermoon, here are some ideas on how to make the most of it.<\/p> And, if you’ve enjoyed the Hunter’s Moon, wait until the evening of 19 October when the just-past-full Moon will drift through the southern portion of the Pleiades star cluster<\/a>.<\/p>2024’s Hunter’s Moon is a supermoon<\/strong><\/h2>
Observing the Hunter’s Moon supermoon<\/strong><\/h2>