Stargazers, astronomers and curious sky-watchers witnessed on Sunday evening the first and only full moon supermoon of 2017.
The moon shone 16% brighter and appeared 7% larger than its usual size.
The supermoon, given its name by Astrologer Richard Nolle, is a new or full moon that appears bigger to the human eye because it’s the closest distance it could get to Earth during a given orbit.
“The supermoons are a great opportunity for people to start looking at the moon, not just that once but every chance they have!” said Dr. Noah Petro, a research scientist from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
This particular moon, according to NASA, has been given the Indian names of “Frost Moon” or the “Moon Before Yule,” because it’s the last full moon of the fall season.
The moon is one part of what NASA is calling a “super moon trilogy.”
The next supermoon will be on Jan. 1, 2018, with the third taking place on Jan. 31 — which NASA says “will be extra special,” considering it will feature a total lunar eclipse.
