October's Supermoon is the closest Supermoon of the year and combines with a comet to create a rare double stargazing phenomenon.
The August Supermoon is 221,970 miles (361,970 km) from Earth. The September Supermoon is closer, at 2,750 miles (4,484 km) away. And the October Supermoon is the closest, at 227,364 miles (357,364 km), so it looks bigger and brighter than the August and September Supermoons.
This year's Supermoon reaches full moon status on October 17. The fourth and final Supermoon of 2024 will appear on November 15, at a distance of 361,867 km from Earth.
A supermoon occurs when the full moon phase synchronizes with a particularly close change in its orbit around Earth. This happens three or four times a year in quick succession, due to the Moon's ever-changing elliptical orbit. This time, the supermoon coincides with the Tsuchinshan-Atlas Comet, which is nearby.
A partial lunar eclipse also occurred on the night of October 17, visible in many places in the Americas, Africa and Europe, when the Earth's shadow fell on the Moon, looking like a small crescent.