Skywatchers and others who spent time outside last night in the U.S. received a treat in the form of a larger-than-average, shinier full moon, the last of this summer's three "supermoons."
A "supermoon" takes place when the moon is full and reaches the point of its orbit that brings it closest to the Earth.
On Sept. 8, the moon rose in the western sky right after sunset and officially became a "supermoon" at 9:38 p.m., scientists said, according to Reuters.
Monday's full moon was also a harvest moon, the term for the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, which takes place on Sept. 23.
"Because the moon is at perigee, or the closest point of its orbit, it's going to be about 13 or 14 percent bigger, optically, and about 30 percent brighter," said Philip Erikson, principal research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Haystack Observatory outside Boston, before the "supermoon," according to Reuters.
The harvest moon occurs at a time in the lunar cycle when moonrise doesn't take place significantly later night after night. The change was welcomed by farmers who worked late into the night trying to harvest their crops before frost set in, according to Reuters.
The moon appeared redder than usual at moonrise thanks to the moon's low angle of rise during the harvest phase.
"It's a good reason to look up, because it's a good, bright, full moon," said Amanda Thompson at the Boston Museum of Science's Hayden Planetarium before the "supermoon." "You will be able to see the maria on the moon, which are the dark, smooth areas. Those are cooled-off lava flows."
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