5 Things to Know About Sunday’s Full Supermoon

When the "Full Cold Moon" rises over southern New Jersey this Sunday night (Dec. 3), it will also be the first (and last) "supermoon" of 2017. Here are five things you should know about the supermoon.

1- According to Nasa, the breathtaking event can make the moon appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than normal, so you won't want to miss it. The last supermoon occurred on November 14 of last year, according to thrillist.com

2- In South Jersey, the full moon will rise (this'll be when it looks largest) on December 3 at 4:59pm EST.  Although the moon is only technically full on December 3, it'll appear full the night before and after too. Winter supermoons also tend to look larger than other supermoons.

3- A supermoon occurs when the sun, moon and Earth align, and a full or new moon aligns with the sun’s lunar orb. This supermoon will be the first in the series of three consecutive full moon supermoons, the next two to occur in January.

4- The supermoon is not a strict astronomical term, but it describes conditions in which the moon appears at its perigee – closest point to Earth.In order to qualify as a supermoon, the orbit has to bring it within 22,443 miles of Earth.

5- There's no need for any kind of binoculars or telescopes as the moon will be perfectly visible with the naked eye. Although, if you want to get some special pictures then long lenses could come in handy.

Source: thrillist.com