Overview
Sky-watchers across Australia are in for a bright few months, with the first of this year's three supermoons — the October "harvest moon" — rising tonight.
The moon will appear at its fullest on Tuesday, October 7, though it will remain spectacular on Wednesday when it reaches its closest point to Earth. Unlike most celestial events, there's no special equipment needed — as long as the skies are clear, it'll be visible rising in the east at sunset and setting in the west at sunrise.
2016's supermoon over the Sydney Opera House
A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the point in its orbit where it's closest to Earth, known as its perigee. Because the Moon's orbit is slightly oval-shaped, its distance from Earth changes each month — and sometimes several full moons in a row fall near that closest point. "When the full moon is closest to the Earth, the full moon before and the full moon after are still a fair bit closer to the Earth than average," University of Southern Queensland astronomer Jonti Horner told the ABC.
Horner explained that while the size and brightness differences are measurable — supermoons can appear up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter — they're often subtle to the naked eye. "It would be obvious if you put the two next to each other," he said, "but it's not a wow, leap-out-of-your-seats type thing."
Australia will see follow-up supermoons on November 5 and December 4, with some astronomers also including the January 3 full moon in the series. The biggest and brightest of the lot is expected in November.
May 2021's supermoon
And if the view alone isn't enough, the Moon's close approach will also slightly intensify tides — known as "perigean spring tides" or king tides — as its stronger gravitational pull interacts with Earth's oceans.
This trio of supermoons marks the start of a lively period for stargazers. Beyond the lunar events, the Orionids meteor shower will peak later in October, and in March 2026, Australians will be treated to a total lunar eclipse — a blood-red moon lighting up the night sky.
Want to get a good look? Here are our favourite places to stargaze around Australia.
Images: Getty Images