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Harvest Super Moon
The full moon on October 6th was the first “supermoon” of 2025. A full moon is considered a “supermoon” when the moon is within 90% of its closest point to the Earth in its elliptical orbit (perigee). In October, perigee occurred on the 8th, just about two days after the moon reached its full phase. A supermoon can appear up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than a full moon at apogee (farthest from Earth in its orbit). October’s full moon is the first of three consecutive supermoons in 2025 (including November 5th and December 4th).
The composite image was captured with the McCarthy Observatory’s antique refractor (JBD). At the time, the moon was approximately 2,250 miles (3,600 km) from its closest point to Earth in its 27-day orbit. The image shows the nearside of the moon with a western longitudinal libration (caused by a mismatch between orbital speed and rotational speed) of almost 3°, revealing a sliver of the moon’s farside, including Lacus Autumi and Lacus Veris, the dark lava deposits between the impact rings of Mare Orientale located beyond the western limb.
Photo: Bill Cloutier
JBD
Mare Orientale