A commercial airliner flies ahead of the Beaver full moon rising over Kuwait City on November 27, 2023.

Yasser Al-Zayyat/Getty Images

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Yasser Al-Zayyat/Getty Images

On Friday, sky enthusiasts across the United States will have one last chance to see a supermoon before the year ends.

November’s full moon, called the Beaver Moon, will appear larger and brighter than a normal full moon. Moon, which NASA says Set to rise at 4.29pm on Friday, this will be the fourth consecutive supermoon since August 2024. According to Christopher Palma, lecturer and advisor in the Department of Astronomy, the time of the supermoon’s rise and set will vary slightly depending on the viewer’s location. and Astrophysics at Penn State University.

“In Central PA, where I am located, the moon rises at 4:29 p.m. on November 15th and sets at 8:04 a.m. the next morning, meaning it will be visible for about 15.5 hours. Times for the D.C. area say Palma changes in just a few minutes.” says.

The Moon is considered “super” when it is full and its orbit is at its closest point to the Earth. According to NASA – Although the term “Supermoon” is not official. The agency says this event could cause tides to be higher than normal. The celestial event occurs three to four times a year, in a cluster or on consecutive full moons.

November’s supermoon will appear full for approximately three days from Thursday morning until sunrise Sunday morning. NASA says. No special equipment is needed to see it, but the best views will depend on the weather.

“I’m definitely in favor of everyone observing the Moon, and when it appears at its largest at full moon, that’s the easiest time to observe it,” says Palma, adding that people should use a lunar device. moon map To identify features on the lunar surface. “One place to start is to look for Tycho crater.”

crater NASA says it is thought to be one of the youngest and most prominent craters on the moon and can be seen as a bright spot on its surface in the lower hemisphere.

Palma says if you miss this supermoon, you won’t see the next one until October 2025. Then there will be three super moons in a row.