Biggest Supermoon in 70 Years Happens This November

By Ana Verayo / 1478092281
(Photo : NASA/Bill Ingalls) A supermoon occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time it is full.

This November, prepare for a rare supermoon that will grace the night skies during the middle of the month. It is considered to be the largest supermoon in 70 years.

Apart from this glorious supermoon, the Taurid and Leonid meteor showers will also coincide with this celestial event. The Taurids are most visible on November 11 after the moon sets before dawn with as much as 15 meteors per hour. The Leonids will be best seen during the early morning hours of November 17, thanks to comet tail remnants of Tempel-Tuttle.

This year will end with three supermoons. The last one occurred last October 16. On November 13, the biggest supermoon will appear. The last supermoon this year will be on December 14.

 Also known as a lunar perigee, supermoons occur when our natural satellite is at the closest distance to Earth at around 225, 803 miles away.  

This November, the month's perigee is also coincidentally a full moon event as well, which means that as the moon rises, it will become larger than usual, proving to be a celestial treat for sky watchers.

This month's supermoon will be 14 percent bigger than the regular full moon, and it will also be 30 percent brighter, making this the biggest and most dazzling supermoon since 1948.

In December, the supermoon will occur on December 14. That month's perigee occurs before midnight of December 12, making these few days also a spectacle for amateur and professional astronomers as well.