Two spectacular night sky sights rise tonight, and you can watch them live.
October's full Hunter's Moon, the largest supermoon of 2024, will rise in the sky opposite the bright comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). The moon officially becomes full today (Oct. 17) at 7:26 a.m. EDT (1126 GMT), but it will appear full to the naked eye all throughout the night. Once the sun sets tonight, the photogenic comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will shine brightly in the western sky.
If viewing conditions aren't ideal in your area or if you can't make it outside tonight to see the pair on opposite sides of the sky, you're in luck: you can watch both in one free livestream thanks to the Virtual Telescope Project. Astronomer Gianluca Masi will be livestreaming telescope observations of both the Full Hunter's Moon and Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS beginning at 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT) today. Watch it live here courtesy of the Virtual Telescope Project or at the project's YouTube channel.
The Hunter's Moon of October 2024 will be the largest full moon of the year thanks to its proximity to Earth. The moon arrived at perigee, its closest point to Earth in its slightly elliptical, or oval-shaped orbit, on the evening of Wednesday (Oct. 16), coming within just 221,938 miles (357,174 kilometers) of our planet.
The result is that the Hunter's Moon is what is colloquially known as a "supermoon," meaning it appears roughly 14% larger than normal in the sky. Because the moment of full moon phase and perigee occurred within just hours, October's supermoon will be the largest of 2024.
Tonight, the moon will rise in the east just as the sun sets. Because full moons occur when the moon and sun are opposite one another with Earth in the middle, full moons always rise in the east just as the sun sets in the west.
Joining the setting sun in the sky in the west will be comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). The comet has been putting on quite a show for astrophotographers this year -- even in space! The comet passed its closest point to Earth on Oct. 12 and is rising higher in the sky despite growing dimmer over the next week before fading from view with the naked eye.
If you're looking to get a closer view of the full moon, comets or any other night sky objects, our best telescopes for beginners guide can help you find what you need. And if something more portable is your preference, check our our best binoculars guide.
Editor's note: If you take a stunning photo of the Full Hunter's Supermoon and want to share it with Space.com, send images and comments to our skywatching inbox at [email protected].