If the skies stay clear, you will be able to see the brightest moon of the year in Wisconsin and across the world this week. According to NASA, the next full moon will be slightly brighter than any so far.

NASA says the supermoon, a Hunter’s Moon, will be visible this Thursday at 6:26 p.m.   It will appear full for three days, from Tuesday night through Friday morning.  The best viewing time will be dusk when the moon rises on the eastern horizon. 

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, this supermoon is called the Hunter’s Moon because it’s the time of the year when hunters begin collecting food and storing it for the long winter and cold winter months ahead.

This will be the third of four consecutive supermoons this year.   

You can also see a rare comet in the skies this month.  Comet C / 2023 (A3), also known as Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, last passed the earth about 80,000 years ago but was only discovered last year. The comet is now passing Earth at its closest distance in its current orbit and is expected to fade away gradually.   Because of this movement away from Earth, seeing the comet earlier in the month will likely provide the best viewing conditions.  

(photo of the Harvest Moon over Lake Michigan last month)