If you tilt your head upwards at the right time, you may well bear witness to a spectacle in the sky: the long-awaited first supermoon of 2025.
The Harvest Moon will reach its closest point to our planet on Monday night, making it appear much larger than usual to the naked eye.
In addition to the supermoon, stargazers could also be treated to two separate meteor showers, the Orionid and Draconid displays.
Here’s what you need to know about the October supermoon and how you can best enjoy the upcoming celestial events:
What is a supermoon?
The term “supermoon” refers to when the moon is at its closest point to Earth during its orbit.
Per NASA, at its closest point, known as the perigee, the moon can appear up to 30% brighter and 14% larger than when at its furthest point, known as the apogee.
Supermoons often appear in different colors, with some displaying a pinkish hue—such as the Strawberry Moon—or shades of dark red, known as a Blood Moon. Super blue moons can also occur, but don’t be fooled by the name. These moons are not blue, but rather varying shades of yellow, orange, and grey.
The October supermoon happens to be the 2025 Harvest moon, the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, which rises roughly at the same time for several nights and provides more moonlight than usual.
This extra moonlight was historically used by farmers to harvest their crops for longer after dusk amid diminishing temperatures and fewer daylight hours in the fall.
When can you see the October supermoon?
The supermoon will peak on the night of Oct. 6 and will shine bright into the early hours of the morning the following day.
According to Alamanac, the moon appear at its brightest—with strong golden hues—at 11:47 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday night.
If you miss the chance to see the supermoon’s peak, don’t panic. The moon will still be brighter than usual, and worth taking note of, until the early hours of Oct. 9.
And if you miss the whole thing altogether, you can make up for it later in the year, as two more supermoons are set to occur on Nov. 5 and Dec. 4.
How to best observe the October supermoon
In order to achieve the most optimal view, lunar enthusiasts are advised to find an open, flat area with an unobstructed passage to the sky. Fields, parks, and waterfronts are ideal locations, although sky-gazers are encouraged to practice a safety-first approach.
The moon also appears at its largest when rising and setting, so finding a point to view the horizon should give a remarkable portrait of the supermoon.
What to know about the Orionid and Draconid meteor showers
The Orionid meteor shower is currently in-progress and is set to last until Nov. 22. In terms of visibility, it will peak on Oct. 21. This is when the new moon for October begins, and without a moon lighting the sky, other objects become a lot more visible from Earth.
If you want to catch the Orionid meteor shower on Oct. 21, which will show off around 20 meteors an hour, your best bet is to turn your attention skyward between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m ET.
Per NASA, the Orionid meteor shower happens when Earth travels through the debris trudging behind Halley’s Comet and it burns up in our atmosphere.
The Draconid meteor showers will take place between Oct. 6-10. They’re made up of debris trailing from the 1P Giacobini-Zinner comet that will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, with peak visibility set to occur on Oct. 8.
NASA advises to find a dark location after the sun has set and look to the southeast sky if, in the northern hemisphere. If you’re in the southern hemisphere, you’ll need to look northeast for the best view.
Orionid meteors appear to come from the direction of the Orion constellation but you might catch them all across the sky.
The post How and When You Can See October’s Stunning Rare Supermoon appeared first on TIME.
