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Year's Last Supermoon Is Near

Thursday's is the final one for 2025
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Dec 2, 2025 12:50 PM CST
Year's Last Supermoon Is Near
A Boeing 747 passes in front of the supermoon as it approaches Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Nov. 5, 2025, in Louisville, Ky.   (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

The last supermoon of the year is about to shine in December skies. Supermoons happen a few times a year in clusters, taking advantage of the sweet spot in the moon's elliptical orbit, and Thursday night's event is the last of three in a row in 2025.

  • The phenomenon: The moon's orbit around the Earth isn't a perfect circle so it gets nearer and farther as it swings around. When a full moon is closer to Earth in its orbit, a so-called supermoon happens. It makes the moon look up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year, according to NASA, per the AP.

  • To watch: The supermoon can be glimpsed in clear night skies without any special equipment. But it can be tough to discern the subtle change with the naked eye.
  • 'Striking:' Whether a supermoon or not, the moon also appears bigger when it's close to the horizon because of what's called the moon illusion. It's a strange visual trick that experts can't yet explain. "When you have a supermoon, that effect is just slightly more striking," said astronomer William Alston with the University of Hertfordshire.
  • Tides: They could be slightly higher during a supermoon because the moon is closer to Earth, but again, the difference isn't very noticeable.

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