The Hunter’s Moon: Closest Full Moon of 2024
By Anne Buckle. Published 9-Oct-2024
This month, the Full Hunter’s Moon will be a Supermoon and the closest Full Moon of the year.
October’s Full Moon will be the closest Full Moon in 2024, making it a Super Hunter’s Moon.
©iStock.com/Merrillie
This month’s Full Moon will happen on October 17, 2024 at 11:26 UTC.
A Full Moon is defined as the moment when the Sun and the Moon are 180 degrees apart on opposite sides of Earth, and the visible side of the Moon’s disk is fully lit up.
Closest Full Moon in 2024
The Moon’s orbit around Earth is oval or elliptical, with one side closer to Earth than the other. As a result, the distance between the Moon and Earth varies throughout the month and the year.
This year, the Hunter’s Moon is near its closest approach to Earth—known as perigee—making it a Supermoon. When the Moon is near its farthest point from Earth, it’s called apogee.
This will be the closest Full Moon in 2024: 357,367 kilometers (222,058 miles) from Earth. In comparison, the last Supermoon on September 18 was 357,486 (222,132 miles) from Earth.
Look for the Full Moon Rising
It can be difficult to spot the difference between a “normal” Full Moon and a Super Full Moon without measuring brightness and size. The fact is, it’s only 6%–7% bigger than an average Full Moon (in years 1550–2650).
So, why does the Full Moon sometimes look big? Watching the Full Moon at moonrise or moonset lets you view it close to the horizon. This tricks our brains into thinking it is much bigger than it actually is. This is known as the Moon illusion.
But, there is one time when the Moon’s distance (and size) really matters. At New Moon, the tiny difference between a Super New Moon and a Micro New Moon dramatically affects solar eclipses: it is the difference between a total eclipse and an annular eclipse.
How Can I See the Super Hunter’s Moon?
Full Moons rise around sunset and set around sunrise. If you miss the exact moment, it still appears full in the days before and after the main event.
Check the moonrise and moonset times for your location, and keep an eye on the latest weather reports.
5 tips to get that perfect Moon photo
Why it is Called the Hunter’s Moon
The Hunter’s Moon is the Anglo-Saxon name for October’s Full Moon. It is named after hunting, slaughtering, and preserving meats in the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year to prepare for the coming winter.
Native Americans named this Full Moon after things that happen in the fall, including the Drying Rice Moon, the Falling Leaves Moon, and the Freezing Moon. The Celts used Seed Fall Moon in the same way. It has also been known as the Pagan Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon.